Chennai: Four days after recording a definite victory in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections, DMK Chief MK Stalin sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister at Raj Bhavan in Chennai on Friday.
With the DMK conquering Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections after thrashing the AIADMK-led front and MK Stalin who became the Chief Minister on Friday, the cult politics, which had diminished after the passing away of M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa, may as well return.
After the passing away of two supremos, the cult politics of Tamil Nadu had moderated and both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam were ordinary leaders who were reachable to the general public, bureaucracy and party office bearers.
C Rajeev of the Centre for Policy and Development Studies, a think tank based out of Chennai while speaking to IANS said, "With Stalin coming to power, the DMK cadres and leaders will commence the worship culture again which will ultimately lead to cult worship. If Stalin does not fall into this trap and stick to his business of administering the state, there can be a respite but the culture of this politics is not easy to be erased and there is every likelihood that cult politics will continue in the state."
Now after an emphatic win for the DMK in Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin faces the challenge of administering the state.
COVID CHALLENGE
Keeping a close eye on COVID-19 cases, swinging into action to keep the medical infrastructure prepared for any third wave and ramping up the vaccination drive would be the biggest challenges for the new indulgence. The state is reporting a sharp rise in spread of COVID-19 and hospital beds, including those created during the outbreak, are filling up fast.
Stalin will have to face a second wave that is more deadly. Already, hospitals are filling fast and health workers are exhausted. The active caseload in the state is now twice as compared to 2020 and the same is thrice the number in Chennai, the state’s capital. The new political cabinet will have to ensure a smooth functioning with the bureaucratic wing of the state which has battled the infection all this while. There is also a massive inoculation program awaiting the state as it doesn’t have satisfactory supply to vaccinate the population above 18 years of age.
EDUCATION POLICY
The COVID-19 outbreak has pushed schools and colleges to held online classes and decrease the curriculum, affecting students’ learning. According to the Annual Status of Education Report released in October last year, at least a quarter of students in Tamil Nadu were not involved in any learning activity during the entire week of the survey. The Stalin government will need an expert team to help address the hindrance for students in the past year and solve the issue, the way forward.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Stalin would prefer to concentrate on Tamil Nadu, save its economic health along with the pandemic. One must note that, the DMK has promised a universal basic income of Rs 1,000 for women heads of households, waive off education loans of students aged below 30 years, give free tabs with data to school and college government students and a payout of Rs 1,500 to 32 lakh widowed women, all single women above 50 years of age, differently-abled along with Sri Lankan refugees.
RELATION WITH THE CENTRE
The state’s relationship with the Union Government will play a vital role for the new government keeping in mind that Stalin has remained on a direct crash with the AIADMK-BJP together. While the DMK Chief has promised to save the state’s rights and autonomy, it remains to be seen how he means to negotiate via requests and tackle troubles with the Centre.
GANDHI AND NEHRU IN TAMIL NADU CABINET
While Stalin will the lead the state after swearing in as the new CM of the state, the cabinet of Tamil Nadu will see Gandhi and Nehru appointed as new ministers.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday approved the list of ministers. Stalin proposed KN Nehru’s name for the portfolio of Minister for Municipal Administration in charge of Urban and Water Supply while R Gandhi’s name was proposed for Handlooms and Textiles, Khadi and Village Industries Board and Boodhan and Gramadhan.
KN Nehru, DMK’s principal secretary and party veteran, challenged the fifth consecutive elections from the Tiruchi West constituency. The senior leader was named after Jawaharlal Nehru by his father, who was a devoted Congressman. In 1996, R Gandhi was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Ranipet constituency as a DMK candidate. He was among many DMK ministers who were charged with possessing disproportionate assets. The charges were later supressed by the courts due to a lack of evidence.
