India, April 29 -- The recent assembly elections in Tamil Nadu served to exemplify a major revelation in the fight between two competing trends in politics across the world- the desire for change on one hand, and the continuity of the party in power on the other, interpreted generally as the "pro or anti-incumbency" factor.

Although there were no strong indications of these factors in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, the dominant narratives that underlined party campaigns conveyed a different message and operational realities. While the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) carried out a popular campaign to let party chief and chief minister MK Stalin continue in his position. The party and its leadership maintained the role and relevance of...