After the results, Stalin asserted that the sweeping victory was a 'crowning moment' for the 'Dravidian model of governance.' Stalin has pitted the Dravidian model as an alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Gujarat model.'

The low profile Stalin has reasons to be proud of his achievements, as the civic poll results showed DMK's seat share in corporations stood at 69.29 percent, it was 61.41 percent in municipalities. The DMK alliance has also bagged over 80 percent of the posts in municipal councils, and town panchayats, including in the Western belt considered an AIADMK stronghold.

He has gained new ground and expanded his party's base further in the civic polls. The DMK's allies, including Congress, the Left parties, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, and the Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi, also helped in taking the DMK front's tally beyond the two-thirds mark. The DMK lost all 10 Mayoral posts in the last local body elections in 2011.

Interestingly, DMK's long-time rival AIADMK lost mainly because of the power tussle between the co-convenors E. Palaniswamy and O. Panneerselvam – both former AIADMK chief ministers. The cadres are confused because of this rivalry.

Secondly, the Sasikala factor was also one reason. She has been plugging for a single leader to head the party ( meaning herself) since she came out of jail last February after completing her four-year sentence for disproportionate assets. In the 2021 Assembly polls, she kept out of politics but has been touring the state since then. EPS and OPS have rejected her claims on the party.

The AIADMK also lost its Six alliance parties, including DMDK, Puthiya Tamilagam, Mukkulathor Pulipadai, Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi, New Justice Party, and All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi. Even the BJP dumped the AIADMK. In contrast, Stalin humored the allies and kept them intact, even praising them after the urban poll results.

Karunanidhi picked Stalin, his younger son, as his political heir overlooking the claims of his elder son Alagiri and his daughter Kanimozhi. Named after Josef Stalin of the USSR, Stalin was grounded in the party and became a valuable backroom boy. He was known as 'Thalapathi( general) to his supporters.

Stalin has held important posts such as General Secretary, Youth wing chief, minister, and later Deputy chief minister in Karunanidhi's cabinet. He was earlier the young Mayor of the Chennai Corporation.

Apart from politics, Stalin also had a film career. He acted in the 1987 Tamil film 'Ore Raththam,' (same blood) written by his father, M Karunanidhi.

Stalin emerged out of his famous father's shadows after Karunanidhi's death in 2017, leading the party to victory in 2021. Though he was not a great orator like his father, he compensated with his hard work and changed the DMK to suit modern times.

For Stalin, who is not a mass leader, the professional event managers helped change his image. In 2021, he appointed the poll strategist Prashant Kishor to advise him. He had ditched his dhoti for jeans, a T-shirt, and sneakers to vibe well with the 80 lakhs first-time voters. Stalin loves sports, arts, and cultural activities and plays cricket, badminton, and chess. He tries to identify himself with the common man (Ungalil Oruvan- one amongst you). He cycles, ride a motorbike, and even travels in autorickshaws to strike a chord with voters.

After winning the state last year, Stalin has become ambitious and is trying to find national politics. He combined with his West Bengal, Telangana, and Maharashtra counterparts to form a federal front to keep himself abreast of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. In the changing national politics where the opposition lacks a credible leader, Stalin has emerged as an established leader of Tamil Nadu and in the south.

However, Stalin is facing criticism for grooming his son Udayanidhi as his political heir.

Stalin has made all the right moves—getting the capable bureaucrats and choosing the right men as his ministers. He managed the Covid challenge well as his first challenge. Tamil Nadu has been a good performer in health, education, and gender equality and talks of social justice.

Stalin has the edge over his rivals as there is no charismatic leader in the other parties. Like his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik, Stalin has come to stay in state and national politics,on the basis of his own leadership capability. (IPA Service)