Stalin is Leader of the opposition in TN Assembly

DMK leader M K Stalin, son of party patriarch M Karunanidhi, was today officially recognised as Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly by Speaker P Dhanapal.
"Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal has recognised M K Stalin, Leader of the DMK Legislature Party, as Leader of the Opposition," Assembly Secretary A M P Jamaludeen said here today in an official release.
After being elected first as an MLA in 1989, 63-year old Stalin today was officially named Leader of the Opposition for the first time in his political career spanning over 40 years.
He was the party's floor leader in the previous Assembly.

Hailed as Karunanidhi's political successor by his supporters, Stalin was Local Administration minister in the DMK regime (2006-09) and he was later promoted as Deputy Chief Minister (2009-11).
He was Mayor of Chennai between 1996-2001.

Stalin said he began his political journey in DMK as a
humble ward representative by fighting party polls. He said later he went on to the district-level responsibilities and highlighted that these elevations he witnessed "were not unanimous elections...I contested for such posts in a democratic manner".
Later, he said he contested for the General Council membership and got elected and following that he similarly became Executive Committee member.

In 1980, when the DMK Youth Wing was founded, he was nominated as a member to the six member committee to steer the new party body. Later, he said he assumed responsibilities like organiser and then secretary for the youth body.
"Only after holding several such posts, I was elected as one of the deputy general secretaries of the party and later got elevated as party treasurer," he said recalling his long journey.
95-year old party General Secretary Anbazhagan said Karunanidhi could not attend the meet in view of his health.
In his address, former minister and party principal secretary Duraimurugan said, "The 100-year-old Dravidian movement was led by many leaders like Kalaignar (Karunanidhi). The responsibility to steer the party now been cast upon the shoulders of Thalapathi (Commander) Stalin."

He used the famous phrase of DMK founder CN Annadurai "Thambi Va Thalamai Erka Va," (Younger Brother, come to take the leadership of the party) to welcome Stalin to be the working chief.
Hailing Stalin as a leader who always upheld self- respect, a key ideal of the Dravidian movement, he said, "Brother, lead the party, we will abide your directives, this is a promise".
Former Union ministers TR Baalu, A Raja, former state ministers, including I Periyasamy, EV Velu, K Ponmudi, KN Nehru, TM Anbarasan, MLAs and senior functionaries went to the Alwarpet residence of Stalin and greeted him on assuming the top post.