Tamil Nadu elections 2026: High-stakes battle in Kolathur as MK Stalin trails in multi-cornered contest

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like MK Stalin is trailing in the Kolathur constituency after briefly leading, according to analytics platform Pvalue, as counting continued in the ongoing election. His party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, is leading in 63 seats. Tamil Nadu CM and DMK leader MK Stalin addressed a gathering during an election campaign. (PTI)Tamil Nadu voted for its seventeenth legislative assembly on 23 April, with chief minister MK Stalin seeking a second consecutive term. No Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader has ever won back-to-back mandates. He contested from the Kolathur constituency. In Kolathur, Stalin faced a multi-cornered contest. His main rivals were Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)’s VS Babu, AIADMK’s P Santhana Krishnan, and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK)’s Soundara Pandian Louther Seth. Actor-turned-politician Vijay’s TVK is attempting to carve out space among anti-incumbency and youth voters, while the AIADMK is seeking to recover ground it has lost in recent elections. Stalin’s election campaign framed around consolidating the DMK’s governance record over the past five years, with welfare delivery, social policy expansion, and administrative performance. He hoped to follow the legacy of his father, M Karunanidhi, and DMK founder CN Annadurai. The contest was a multi-cornered one. The rise of actor Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) introduced a new variable. Stalin’s challenge was also shaped by national politics. Across India, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been trying to expand into states where it has struggled for years, and Tamil Nadu remains one of its strongest barriers. Despite repeated attempts, the BJP has not been able to build a strong independent base in the state, where Dravidian parties continue to dominate. MK Stalin was born on March 1, 1953, in Chennai to former CM M Karunanidhi and Dayalu Ammal. Stalin entered politics at a young age and built his career step by step within the DMK. He started as a party worker, later became the secretary of the DMK youth wing, and spent decades strengthening the party’s organisation. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1989. He also served as the Mayor of Chennai from 1996 to 2002. Later, he held important ministerial positions in the state government, including roles in local administration and rural development. After his father’s health declined, Stalin became more central in party leadership. He officially became DMK president in 2018 following M Karunanidhi’s death. In the 2021 state elections, the DMK returned to power and Stalin became CM. Since becoming chief minister in 2021, Stalin has projected himself as a strong supporter of federalism and state rights. This has often led to tensions with the Union government over issues such as education policy, funding, and the role of governors. These disputes have made him one of the most vocal non-BJP chief ministers in India.