Agency (Chennai):
The hashtag ‘#MissingCM,’ targeting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, trended on social media platform X. This trend emerged as a critique of the Chief Minister’s decision to attend the opposition INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi rather than visiting the flood-hit areas in the state.
The hashtag was initiated by BJP Tamil Nadu (@BJP4Tamilnadu), leading to a flurry of messages from party supporters. They criticized Stalin for prioritizing the alliance meeting over addressing the needs of people affected by the floods in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Stalin, however, had announced plans to visit Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli on December 20 and stated that his visit to Delhi was to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enhanced flood relief.
The BJP’s posts on social media accused Stalin of ignoring the plight of the people in south Tamil Nadu. One post, in particular, labeled his claim of visiting Delhi for flood assistance as a facade, suggesting that the actual purpose was the INDIA Alliance meet.
The party also drew parallels with a historical incident from 2009, when then Chief Minister Karunanidhi, Stalin’s father, was in Delhi for seat-sharing talks with Sonia Gandhi while the Tamil community faced a crisis in Sri Lanka.
The criticism extended beyond the BJP, with social media user Pranav Pratap Singh sarcastically remarking on Stalin’s visit to the INDIA Alliance meet as a discussion on managing flood relief. Another user, Krishna Kumar Murugan, highlighted the efforts of Army jawans in rescuing a baby in the flood-hit southern district, emphasizing the perceived absence of the Chief Minister.
The ‘#MissingCM’ trend on social media reflects the political and public scrutiny faced by Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister M K Stalin, highlighting the balancing act between political commitments and immediate state responsibilities during crises.