Udhayanidhi Stalin interview: ‘We Are Ready To Face BJP And All Its B Teams’

Your grandfather, father and now you, have beenassociated with the film industry. Do youthink this was/is good for the people?Political activists using films to propagate the ideologythey believe in is one thing, mere artiststrying to leverage their popularity in cinema for politicsis something entirely different. People inTamil Nadu do not vote for cine glamour alone. Their choicesare often driven by party ideology, governance record and candidates.

To answerthe second part of the question - Yes, I come from a family with some associationwith the film industry, but our primary commitment has always been to publicservice and welfare of people.TOI asked you in 2019 whether entering politics wasa calculated choice or a calculated risk.How about now? The last time, I spoke about the high expectations andresponsibilities placed on me. In the last fewyears, I have learned to embrace the pressure that comesfrom those expectations.

It has turned out to be a positive journey. Whether itis strengthening the youth wing organization or serving people through ourgovt’s welfare schemes, I believe I have been doing justice to theresponsibilities entrusted to me. Now I would put it this way: Politics is a choice, a meansto be at the forefront of protecting Tamil Nadu from external danger.Who do you think will be DMK’s most powerful rivalfor the upcoming assembly election?I don’t see any strong rival at this point, though historically,the AIADMK has been our principal opposition. We view AIADMK as primaryopposition party in Tamil Nadu, even in its current weakened state.

Has your father noted that you are a hard workertoo?I am trying to do my best. In meetings when leaders try tocompare me with kalaignar (Karunanidhi)and leader (Stalin), I don’t encourage it. Kalaignar willalways be kalaignar. He (Stalin) has 50 years of experience, I am only ‘sixyears old’ now. My dad has always been a perfectionist. He expects everything tobe done on time, everything to be on target.What are the traits you see in Karunanidhi andStalin as leaders?Kalaignar’s defining strength was his indomitable fightingspirit. He stood firm in upholding Dravidian principles, despite arrests,censorship, and even dismissal of his govts. CM M K Stalin’s remarkable trait ishis hard work. Every single day, he gives his 100% to the responsibilities hehas as the chief minister of the state and president of our party.How successful was the youth wing meeting inTiruvannamalai?Youth wing functionaries for the 91 assembly constituencies fromthe North Zone were invited. Thescale of the event was massive, with participation from morethan 1.3 lakh functionaries.

The response was very positive. The energy of thefunctionaries turned it into a remarkable success.During the event, the CM said, ‘those who come toTamil Nadu with arrogance will be defeated’ in the context of homeminister Amit Shah’s statement that Tamil Nadu was BJP’s next target…I am completely in sync with our chief minister’s statement,and we are ready to face BJP and all its B teams. We are well aware that BJPwill use every tool at its disposal to weaken secular forces in the state.But the people of Tamil Nadu can see through BJP’s conspiracyto defame the state, its people and the Dravidian model govt. For sure, theywill be defeated by the people of Tamil Nadu.You likened AIADMK to an engine-less car beingdragged by BJP. But isn’t DMK too dependenton a national party for electoral support?In our alliance, every party adds value, and as the leadingforce, DMK respects and accommodates the views and concerns of all itspartners.

Our chief minister is an inclusive leader who is deeply committed todemocracy, and our alliance is bound together by shared ideology and mutualrespect. This is very different from the NDA, where decisions are made unilaterallyin Delhi and forced upon parties in Tamil Nadu.The number of youth wing functionaries has nowsoared to five lakhs from 6,000 after youtook charge. What benefits do you see in this?This will infuse fresh blood at all levels of party structure.The youth wing will have a presence inevery village, or even every street of the state. Our youthwing has about six functionaries per booth - roughly one per 50 households.

Wewant the younger generation to be politically aware, in order to protect theuniqueness of Tamil Nadu in the future.Which party stands a better chance of attracting moreyoung voters?A party that has a clear vision for the future and theability to execute it will connect with young voters.Under the leadership of M K Stalin, the DMK govt hasunderstood the aspirations of young peopleand responded through effective governance. Our flagshipschemes such as ‘Naan Mudhalvan’, ‘Pudhumai Penn’, and ‘Tamil Pudhalvan’, haveopened wide the doors of opportunity for students in both education andemployment.

We are attracting significant investments to generate jobopportunities for youth across the state.How relevant is political ideology among Gen Z?I believe it is highly relevant. I see a lot of youngsters attractedto the views propounded by Periyar,particularly his ideas around inclusivity, freedom andfairness. Young people may not use labels, but they strongly care about theseideas. For them, ideology must translate into action.

In our party, ideology isparamount, and it guides the party’s decisionmaking.Successive DMK governments have found ways to convert ourideological objectives - equalityand social justice - into schemes and policies. We will continueto walk that path.What is the percentage of seats you hope to cornerfor young DMK candidates this time?The DMK was launched by leaders who were young. Ourpresident established and led the party’syouth wing for several decades. He understands the importanceof empowering the youth and preparing them for the future. I will continue tovoice my support for the youth in all party forums.Email your feedback with name and addressto southpole.toi@