Which Indian politician, who served five times as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, recently passed away and was a major figure in Dravidian politics?

Introduction / Context:
Tamil Nadu politics has been shaped significantly by leaders of the Dravidian movement. One of the most prominent among them was M. Karunanidhi, who served multiple terms as Chief Minister and was a key leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). This question asks you to identify the veteran leader who served as Chief Minister five times and passed away recently, a fact often highlighted in current affairs and political history.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The politician was Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu five times.
• He was a major figure in Dravidian politics and has recently passed away.
• Options include Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, M. K. Stalin and Kanimozhi.
• We assume awareness of major political leaders from Tamil Nadu and their roles.

Concept / Approach:
M. Karunanidhi was a dominant figure in Tamil Nadu politics for several decades. He became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu five times and led the DMK through many electoral battles. He was also known as a screenwriter and orator in Tamil. C. N. Annadurai served as Chief Minister, but only once. M. K. Stalin and Kanimozhi are active leaders from the same political family, but as of the time when this fact became part of standard GK, they had not been Chief Minister five times and had not recently passed away in the same historical context. Therefore, the question clearly points to M. Karunanidhi.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify which leader among the options is associated with being Chief Minister multiple times. Step 2: Recall that M. Karunanidhi served as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on five separate occasions. Step 3: Recognise that he was a senior DMK leader and a central figure in Dravidian politics. Step 4: Confirm that his death was widely reported as the passing of a five-time Chief Minister. Step 5: Choose “M. Karunanidhi” as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by recalling news reports and obituaries that described M. Karunanidhi as a five-time Chief Minister and a towering figure in Tamil Nadu politics. Reference books on Indian political leaders also list his multiple terms as Chief Minister. No other person in the options matches this combination of “five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu” and “recently passed away” in the same way.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
C. N. Annadurai: Founder of the DMK and former Chief Minister, but he served as CM only once and passed away earlier in history.
M. K. Stalin: A prominent DMK leader and current political figure, but he has not served as Chief Minister five times.

Kanimozhi Karunanidhi: A DMK leader and Member of Parliament, but she has never been Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Common Pitfalls:
Students might confuse different leaders from the same political family or party, especially if they focus on surnames alone. Another pitfall is mixing up the number of terms served by Annadurai and Karunanidhi. Careful reading of the phrase “five times Chief Minister” and remembering the long tenure of M. Karunanidhi in Tamil Nadu politics helps avoid such confusion.

Final Answer:
The five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and major Dravidian leader who recently passed away was M. Karunanidhi.