M. K. Stalin - Political Career

Political Career

M. K. Stalin was born in Madras, now Chennai. His political career began when as a 14-year old, he campaigned in the 1967 elections. In 1973 Stalin was elected to the General committee of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

He came to limelight when he was jailed under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) for protesting against the Emergency. Stalin has been elected four times to the Tamil Nadu Assembly since 1989 from the Thousand Lights constituency in Chennai. Stalin became the city's first directly elected Mayor in 1996.

Stalin was reelected Mayor in 2001, however, the then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa enacted the Tamil Nadu Municipal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2002, a law that prevents a person from holding two elected posts in the government. This law was applied retrospectively to Stalin's case (he was elected MLA) in a move widely seen as aimed at removing as Chennai's Mayor. However the Madras High Court struck down the law stating that legislative bodies were not “prevented” from making laws affecting the “substantive rights” of persons retrospectively. However, the court held under Madras (now Chennai) City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919, a person cannot be Mayor for two consecutive terms though unlike Stalin earlier mayor were not directly elected. Stalin did not appeal in the Supreme Court.

Stalin has been arrested several times on various public issues since he was first arrested in 1975 under MISA, which is close to terrorism and goondas act. severe physical punishment has been imposed on him previously. Karunanidhi midnight arrest in which Karunanidhi, Stalin, Maran, and others were arrested and charged in the flyover scam. This was widely considered to be an act of political vendetta, as the FIR or police complaint was lodged on Friday night and the arrests were carried out only a few hours later on Saturday morning. While the arrests took place in 2001, the chargesheet was only filed in court four years later, in 2005.

In Tamil Nadu, Stalin played a crucial role in the campaigning and the eventual victory of the DMK-Allied-United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in the 2009 general election.