M K Stalin registered victory in urban local body elections

The DMK, led by Chief Minister M K Stalin, won all 21 city corporations and 128 of Tamil Nadu's 138 municipalities in Tuesday's local government elections. A total of 400 out of 489 town panchayats were also won by the party.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin claimed the DMK and its coalition partners' win in the urban local bodies election was an acknowledgment of the "Dravidian model of development" and a certificate of the DMK government's nine-month reign.

In a press conference, he cautioned elected officials against over-celebrating their triumph.

The DMK won 925 out of 1,374 city corporation seats, 2,360 out of 3,843 municipality seats, and 4,388 out of 7,621 town panchayat seats, with results for certain seats, still pending.

The AIADMK was elected to 161 city council seats and 638 local council seats. It was also elected to 15 town panchayats (1,206 seats).

He said, “Celebrate in a humble way. Live up to the expectations of the people. Work truly for the welfare of the people and pay attention to solving basic problems. Ensure there are no complaints. I will monitor your work continuously and consistently, and will not spare anyone.”

"You should not think Stalin is greedy," Mr. Stalin stated, recalling his campaign speeches asking support for the DMK and its coalition partners so that the government's historical projects could fully reach the people. The victory has not yet made me arrogant."

"I have resolved to live up to the faith that people have reposed on us. I have realised my responsibility and the government will fulfil people’s expectations. The secular progressive alliance is responsible for the victory. The alliance is formed not just for elections, but cemented by ideological commitments. Cooperation and campaign of the leaders of alliance political parties also contributed immensely to the victory,” he further said.

The 50 percent reservation for women in municipal authorities, according to the Chief Minister, has prepared the ground for a social justice revolution. “It is a Dravidian model of revolution. Women, who are 50% of the society, are now elected to the local bodies. The objective of the DMK is to offer more power to women.”

Mr. Stalin claimed that the DMK government's successes in nine months included winning the Kongu belt (western area), which was regarded as the AIADMK's citadel. He also stated that he chose a virtual campaign because the COVID-19 restrictions were in place.

He further said, “No one could be more forthcoming than me when it comes to meeting people. I avoided it because of the regulations. If I had directly participated in the campaign, there should have been a need to make security arrangements. It would have caused unnecessary expenditure. Even now when two people wave at me, I make it a point to stop my vehicle and meet them.”

In response to a question concerning the BJP's win in some areas, he stated that in some areas, people voted based on politicians and parties.“A clear picture will emerge only after results are fully declared,” he said.

While the DMK's electoral alliance with Left, Dalit, and minority parties aided the party's victory, the Stalin government's remarkable start and projects during the first nine months of control are also credited with the party's success.

Internal strife and alliance with the BJP, which may have alienated the AIADMK's secular, minority voter base, could have been factors. Unlike the DMK, the AIADMK lost partners like the PMK and the BJP.

Even as the national leadership brought in a youthful party president, former IPS officer K Annamalai, who is in his 30s, to lead the party in Tamil Nadu, the BJP, which chose to run alone in the urban local body elections, failed to make an impression.

The BJP won 241 seats (out of 20,606 seats) in the 2011 local body elections when urban and rural local bodies were combined, compared to 308 seats this time in urban local body elections (it contested from 42 percent of the total 12,664 seats). A single district, Kanyakumari, accounted for 200 of the 308 seats.

Also read Minister of industries and it of ap died of a heart attack