15/03/2026
In 1990s
The Stalin's Vision was:
Transforming Tamil Nadu into a Singapore-Like Powerhouse!
If M.K. Stalin had regained power in 2001 with the same momentum he displayed during his tenure as Chennai Mayor, Tamil Nadu would undoubtedly have been transformed into something akin to Singapore. I am not exaggerating—at least 60 percent of that ambitious goal would have been achieved by now.
That vision was one of his deepest dreams. If you read his book *Payanachchiragugal* , you'll understand the truth in my words. Though I first encountered it as a serial in *Kungumam* magazine, I recently purchased the book again at a fair and have begun rereading it with fresh eyes.
At a time when the world was surging ahead in technology, development, and economic growth, the DMK lost the 2001 election by a razor-thin margin. The incoming government disrupted Tamil Nadu's structural progress, halted key development initiatives, and even arrested Kalaignar Karunanidhi in a blatant act of political revenge. They went further, making concerted efforts to remove Stalin from his Mayor's post during his second term by introducing new legislation. Ultimately, he resigned voluntarily.
That administration failed to grasp the rapid pace of global change. Instead of governing with the urgency and foresight needed for true progress, it delivered a sluggish, directionless regime devoid of any clear long-term plans.
A stark example is the Perambur flyover project. Initiated during the 1996–2001 DMK government under Stalin's leadership, the project hit a snag when some pillars sank due to soil conditions. With the change in government, it lay abandoned for five agonizing years. Shouldn't a responsible administration have immediately investigated and rectified the issue? Yet, the AIADMK government showed utter indifference, leaving the residents of the area to navigate severe inconveniences around a half-built structure.
It was only after the DMK's return to power in 2006 that Stalin personally intervened, expediting the work and inaugurating the flyover for public use.
The current subservient government has plunged Tamil Nadu into an even graver predicament than that era.
You, I, and
