Chennai: In a major political development, M. K. Stalin has stepped down as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after his party suffered a decisive setback in the recently held Assembly elections.
Sources confirmed that Stalin submitted his resignation to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan in Chennai. As per constitutional convention, the Governor is expected to ask him to continue as interim Chief Minister until a new government is formed and the swearing‑in formalities are completed, as reported by The Pioneer.
The resignation comes against the backdrop of a major political shift in the state. The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor‑turned‑politician Vijay, has emerged as the single‑largest party in the 234‑member Assembly, winning 107 seats — 11 short of a majority. The DMK, which had been in power and entered the polls with strong expectations, was reduced to 59 seats.
The rout was compounded by Stalin’s personal defeat in his traditional stronghold of Kolathur, long regarded as a key DMK bastion. He lost to TVK candidate VS Babu by a margin of 8,795 votes, a result that carries both symbolic and political weight, underlining the depth of the voters’ shift away from the ruling party.
In a public message, Stalin acknowledged the defeat. “We accept the people’s verdict,” he said, while also congratulating the winners and thanking voters for their support. At the same time, he asserted that the DMK’s political journey would continue, even as the party begins to reassess its strategy and rebuild in the aftermath of the loss.
With TVK falling short of a clear majority, attention has now shifted to post‑poll negotiations as the party explores possible alliances to form the next government and secure a stable mandate in Tamil Nadu.
