Another training phase for Stalin

R.K. Radhakrishnan / The Hindu


Instead of Karunanidhi, Stalin presented the industry demands in the Assembly

Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin often turns to his father, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, for advice.

CHENNAI: At 2.18 p.m. on Monday, when Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin concluded the reply to the demands for grants for the industries and information technology departments in the Assembly, it marked the completion of yet another phase of his training in politics under his father, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
The departments are under the Chief Minister and, normally, he would have presented the demand for grants and replied to the debate. But, keeping in line with the promise made in Tirunelveli late last year to give greater responsibilities to Mr.Stalin, Mr.Karunanidhi handed over the task to him.
“It’s another phase of training. Everything has to be done step by step,” the Chief Minister told The Hindu, when asked why Mr. Stalin replied to the debate. “Are you giving him the industries portfolio?” The question was met with a smile.
For a few months now, Mr. Stalin, along with party seniors, has been part of all major decisions taken in the department. In fact, when an industrialist met Mr. Karunanidhi recently and wanted him to come for a function outside Chennai, Mr. Karunanidhi said that Mr.Stalin would come. An automobile major has requested Mr. Stalin to visit its plant abroad.
As Mr. Karunanidhi, who patiently sat through the debate and reply, postponing his lunch despite his doctor’s advice, was moving towards his car after the reply, Mr.Stalin caught up with him and asked: “Did I do o.k.?” “You did well,” the octogenarian taskmaster replied.
His sister, Kanimozhi, MP, who skipped the Rajya Sabha to listen to him, thought that Mr.Stalin, who addressed his first public meeting in January 1969, did exceptionally well.