- Party
- Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)
- Born
- 1 March 1953, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Education (declared)
- BA (Political Science), University of Madras (1973)
- In current post since
- 28 August 2018
- Seat
- No legislative seat
Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin was born in Chennai in 1953, the third son of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. As a teenager he helped start the DMK's youth wing in Gopalapuram, and in 1976 he was jailed under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Emergency.
Chennai and the DMK
He entered the assembly from Thousand Lights in 1989 and was Mayor of Chennai from 1996 to 2002. He won Kolathur in 2011 and held it in 2016 and 2021. He became the DMK's working president in January 2017 and its president on 28 August 2018.
Chief Minister and defeat
He was sworn in as Chief Minister on 7 May 2021. In the 2026 election Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam won the state, and Stalin lost Kolathur to the TVK's V. S. Babu, becoming the second sitting Chief Minister after J. Jayalalithaa to lose an election. He continues to lead the DMK; on 2 November 2026 he accused the TVK government of a slump in GST revenue and of losing a Rs 1,614 crore Korean investment to Andhra Pradesh.
His 2026 affidavit declares no criminal cases, no liabilities and assets of about Rs 9.7 crore.
Career at a glance
- 1976Jailed under MISA during the Emergency
- 1989Elected MLA from Thousand Lights
- 1996Mayor of Chennai, until 2002
- 2011Wins Kolathur; re-elected 2016 and 2021
- Aug 2018DMK president
- May 2021Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
- May 2026Loses Kolathur to V. S. Babu of the TVK
The record card
Facts only, each from a public record. This is not a rating. Affidavit figures are the leader's own sworn declarations at the time of filing.
| Declared criminal cases | 0Tamil Nadu 2026 affidavit, Kolathur | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Declared assets | Rs 9.7 crore2026; no liabilities declared | Source |
| Kolathur result, 2026 | LostV. S. Babu of the TVK declared winner | Source |
How far do you trust M. K. Stalin?
A reader poll, not a survey and not Bharatverseh's view. One vote per reader; results show after you vote.
Sources
Photo: Prime Minister's Office, GODL-India, via Wikimedia Commons.
This profile is built only from public records and attributed reports; read how we make these profiles. If anything here is wrong or out of date, or if you are M. K. Stalin's office and want to respond, write to devv@bharatverseh.com. Every correction is listed in our corrections log.