MK Stalin takes responsibility for party’s defeat in TN Assembly polls

DMK President MK Stalin on Thursday said he would take full responsibility for the party’s defeat in the April 23 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. He announced that a panel would be constituted to evaluate the reasons for the poll defeat and submit a report within 20 days.

Stalin also took a swipe at the AIADMK, saying his party was mature enough not to lodge its legislators in a resort. His veiled reference was aimed at the AIADMK, which lodged its newly elected MLAs at a resort in Puducherry following the May 4 Assembly election results, in which no single party secured the required 118 seats to form the Government on its own.

Addressing the party’s district secretaries at Anna Arivalayam, the DMK headquarters here, Stalin said no party had secured a majority on its own to form the Government.

“The C Joseph Vijay-led Government is now in power due to the support of coalition partners. They formed the Government with the backing of the Left parties, VCK and IUML,” the former CM said, referring to the unconditional support extended by the allies to the TVK during Government formation.

“Past election results showed that whenever we lost power, we won only a very small number of seats. This time, we won 59 seats. If we add the seats secured by our allies, the tally rises to 73,” he said. Pointing out that success and failure are part of elections, just as ups and downs are part of life, Stalin said the DMK was more mature than other parties.

“That is why, unlike other parties, we did not lodge our MLAs in resorts and star hotels out of fear, but were brave enough to face defeat,” he said, targeting the AIADMK.

He said he had worked tirelessly over the past five years and ensured that the previous DMK Government functioned for the welfare of the people.

“People are aware of this. I do not want to blame anyone for our inability to return to power. As the leader of the party, I take responsibility for this defeat. When I can take pride in victory, there is nothing wrong with taking responsibility for failure rather than blaming others. That is only fair,” Stalin said.

Referring to the TVK winning the floor test in the Assembly with 144 votes, Stalin said the ruling party had proved its majority on the floor of the House despite not having secured a majority on its own in the election.

Referring to the split in the AIADMK, whose 25 MLAs voted in favour of the TVK Government during the confidence motion moved by CM Vijay in the Assembly on Wednesday, Stalin said, “There is no need to explain how the AIADMK will behave. In this situation, it is impossible to predict what will happen next. Therefore, we must act properly and efficiently in the Assembly.”