MK Stalin, son of late Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, was elevated as party president on Tuesday. Stalin succeeded his father as the second president of DMK. After party’s General Council meeting held in Chennai, DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan said Stalin was elected unopposed, as he was the sole candidate who had filed nomination for the party chief’s post on August 26.
Founded by CN Annadurai in 1949, DMK was a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam that was popularly known as Justice Party until 1944. This political outfit had been headed by Karunanidhi from 1969 until his death.
Stalin was promoted as party’s working president in January last year. His elevation comes about three weeks after the death of Karunanidhi on August 7 and amidst threats by his elder brother and expelled DMK leader MK Alagiri.
On Monday, hours after Stalin’s nomination, Alagiri had issued a stern warning to DMK saying that the party will face consequences if they don’t reinstate him. “Earlier Kalaignar (M Karunanidhi) was there. Now we have to save the party (DMK) and we want to join it. If they don’t include us in the party, they will have to face the consequences,” he had said.
Alagiri, who was expelled from the party by Karunanidhi in 2014, has been questioning the leadership of Stalin. While addressing media at the Marina beach memorial of Karunanidhi, Alagiri had claimed that real cadres are with him. He had also announced he would lead a peace rally in Chennai on September 5, to the mausoleum of Karunanidhi.
