Chennai: With nearly a year left for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, Chief Minister MK Stalin appears to have set the political discourse by leveraging key issues raised by the BJP.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s push for the three-language policy in Tamil Nadu was swiftly countered by Stalin, who framed it as an attack on the state’s rights. He accused the BJP of attempting to impose Hindi under the guise of the National Education Policy, calling it a “saffron policy.” Stalin warned of another language conflict in the state, arguing that Tamil Nadu was being forced into an unnecessary linguistic battle.
Simultaneously, Stalin intensified his opposition to the proposed Lok Sabha seat delimitation, asserting that Tamil Nadu, despite its success in population control, was at risk of losing eight parliamentary seats. Calling it a threat to the state’s representation, he convened an all-party meeting to oppose what he described as a move to stifle Tamil Nadu’s voice.
He further challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating, “Develop India rather than Hindi. You spend crores on a language not spoken by the people while neglecting Tamil, which is globally recognized.” The language issue gained traction across political lines, compelling even Stalin’s opponents to engage in the debate.
Expanding his attack on the Centre, Stalin also opposed the Waqf Amendment Bill. The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution urging the Union government to withdraw the bill, arguing that it undermined the rights of Muslims and violated the constitutional freedoms of religious minorities. The resolution gained support from all major parties except the BJP, which staged a walkout.
Political analysts view Stalin’s strategy as a calculated move to unify opposition forces while solidifying his party’s appeal to Muslim voters, who constitute around 12% of Tamil Nadu’s population. His framing of language policy, delimitation, and minority rights as matters of Tamil Nadu’s identity has forced political rivals to react on his terms.
The BJP and AIADMK dismissed Stalin’s actions as political theatrics, accusing him of using emotive issues to distract from governance failures. However, Stalin’s ability to bring together even adversaries on key concerns suggests he has succeeded in steering the electoral narrative in his favor.
As Tamil Nadu approaches the assembly elections, Stalin is likely to keep these issues at the forefront, reinforcing his image as a defender of Tamil rights against perceived central imposition.
