Udhayanidhi Stalin, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and a state minister in his father’s cabinet, may be a young leader, but in his growing political career, he has found himself in the midst of as many controversies as the number of his political followers.
The actor-politician’s statement equating Sanatana (Sanatan Dharma) to “mosquitoes, dengue, malaria fever, Covid-19″ and his declaration that they should be stamped out like these infections, has left the BJP and those who believe in Santana Dharma seething as they believe it to be an insult to Hinduism and India’s cultural heritage.
Stalin has since clarified that, contrary to the BJP’s interpretation, his statement while speaking at the ‘Sanatana Ozhippu Maanaadu’ (Conference for the Annihilation of Sanatanam), organised by Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association, did not call for the genocide of those who follow Sanatana Dharma.
He reiterated that he was trying to stress on the need to eradicate the caste system and other discriminatory practices that are associated with Sanatana Dharma.
The political storm triggered by Stalin’s statements has prompted a recall of similar controversial statements made by him over the past few years.
AIADMK U-Turn
Udhayanidhi recently claimed the ‘A’ in AIADMK has come to mean Amit Shah and not Annadurai, citing the former’s U-turn on the prospect of One Nation, One Election. Addressing a DMK Youth Wing Executive Committee meeting in Pudukkottai, he likened the BJP to a “snake looking to slither into the state of Tamil Nadu stealthily through a bush called AIADMK”.
“To wipe away the BJP, we must wipe out AIADMK,” Udhayanidhi said, adding that the only person who has benefited under the BJP rule is businessman Gautam Adani.
‘Raid Me If You Can’
Udhayanidhi Stalin has repeatedly accused the Narendra Modi government of using the Enforcement Directorate to question 115 Opposition leaders. In July, two senior ministers of the DMK government in Tamil Nadu came under the ED scanner over alleged connection to money laundering cases. Udhayanidhi accused the Centre of using pressure tactics and challenged the agencies to raid him.
“Every party has its cadre or Thondar Padai (cadre force)… the BJP’s cadre force is I-T, CBI, ED. They unleash them during the elections to threaten the Opposition,” he had said.
Later, while speaking at a gathering in Kalakurichi, he claimed that he had overheard a BJP leader saying his house was to be raided next. “I’m the grandson of Kalaignar (M Karunanidhi) and son of MK Stalin, and I am not scared of Modi or ED. They are welcome, I can give them my address. Who do you think I am that I should be scared of your ED? Not just me, even a DMK functionary wouldn’t be scared of you.”
Maamannan Messaging
Udhayanidhi Stalin’s latest movie Maamannan, produced by his Red Giant Movies banner, has also become a point of discussion as it questioned caste prejudices within Dravidian parties, especially in the Kongu region of western Tamil Nadu.
IPL Tickets and Jay Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while flagging off BJP state president K Annamalai’s padyatra in Rameswaram, had spoken on dynasty politics, using the Karunanidhi-Stalin political legacy as an example to make his point. He had pointed to how Stalin had been promoting his son and minister Udhayanidhi Stalin as his successor.
Retorting to Amit Shah, Stalin Junior chose to question the elevation of the Union Home Minister’s son Jay Shah as the BCCI Secretary. “I want to ask Amit Shah, how did your son become BCCI secretary? How many cricket matches did he play? How many runs has he scored till now?”
When AIADMK leader Velumani requested Udhayanidhi, who is Tamil Nadu Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, in the Assembly that lawmakers should be given IPL match tickets, the actor-politician joked that the demand should be sent directly to Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah as “he won’t listen to us”.
Debut on the Political Screen
Stalin Junior’s political journey began in 2019 as the leader of the DMK’s Youth Wing. It was in March 2021, just before the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, that Udhayanidhi emerged as a prominent political figure. The DMK cadre was impressed by his charismatic style and political showmanship, setting him apart.
A classic instance of this was when Udhayanidhi Stalin was seen traveling across the state and flaunting a ‘brick’ at various election meetings with the word ‘AIIMS’ painted on it.
He told the crowd that the AIADMK government had promised an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Madurai, the foundation stone for which was laid by PM Modi, but the work on it was yet to begin.
“They promised you a hospital in Madurai, I am carrying the hospital to you,” quipped the DMK leader, brandishing the brick as proof of the work done there. The strategy seemed to have clicked as in the Lok Sabha elections that followed, the DMK won 24 of Tamil Nadu’s 39 seats.
He achieved his first electoral victory in the May 2021 Assembly elections, winning the MLA seat for the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency in Chennai with a substantial margin of over 68,000 votes. This constituency holds personal and historical significance, since it was held by his grandfather Karunanidhi from 1996 to 2011.
A year later, in December 2022, Udhayanidhi assumed the position of a minister in his father’s cabinet.
Udhayanidhi Stalin’s transition from a popular actor and film producer to an active politician has been relatively smooth, say insiders. His mother, Durga, played a crucial role in ensuring a smooth succession process within the DMK. She witnessed the challenges faced by her husband MK Stalin during his political journey, often marked by conflicts with his brother Alagiri.
New Sun
Udhayanidhi’s exposure to politics began at a young age. He attended meetings with his grandfather and observed political discussions and strategy-making at close quarters. He also actively participated in election campaigns alongside his father.
Critics argue that his rapid rise within the DMK is due to his family background rather than his deep ideological convictions. Nonetheless, Udhayanidhi’s informal and conversational style in speeches resonates with DMK supporters.
Despite his political lineage, Udhayanidhi has consciously tried to cultivate an image distinct from his father and grandfather. Presenting himself as the new face of the DMK, he often opts for casual attire, wearing jeans and a white shirt with the DMK’s symbol of the rising sun embroidered on his shirt. This is in sharp contrast to his grandfather and father’s traditional attire of a white shirt and a crisp white veshti.
Since joining his father’s cabinet, Udhayanidhi Stalin has faced allegations of benefiting from dynasty politics and receiving promotions prematurely, despite limited political experience.
Beyond his crowd appeal, Udhayanidhi has demonstrated organisational skills since taking on the role of DMK’s Youth Wing leader in 2019. DMK leaders say he successfully enrolled an impressive 22 lakh new youth wing members and strengthened the party’s organisational structure.
Udhayanidhi Stalin has often gone off-script in his as-yet short but eventful political career. Most have hit the bull’s eye, but this time the actor-politician may have missed the mark.