Stalin vs Alagiri: DMK cadres set to elect party’s next chief on Tuesday

He will be the second President of the party, a post which was held by his father Karunanidhi for 49 long years.
Chennai: Days after Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) patriarch M Karunanidhi’s death, his son and the party’s working president MK Stalin will on Tuesday officially take over as the DMK chief. Stalin’s final ‘coronation’ is expected to be formally announced at the party headquarters when the DMK’s General Council is set to meet.
The election of Stalin as the DMK’s second President is likely to be a smooth affair as all the 65 district secretaries of the party have proposed his name for the top post and his is the only nomination. He had submitted his nomination on August 26 and will be the second president of the party, a post which was held by his father Karunanidhi for 49 long years.
Stalin has been serving the party as its working president since January 2017 after Karunanidhi’s health did not permit him to preside over the affairs of the party. His elevation as the party supremo became a necessity after Karunanidhi passed away early this month.
Following the party patriarch’s death, there had been a constant war of words going on between Stalin and his estranged brother MK Alagiri who is desperately looking for an entry into the party. The former DMK minister was expelled in 2014 by Karunanidhi for indulging in anti-party activities and making derogatory remarks.
Karunanidhi had then named Stalin as his political heir. The transition of power was formalised when Stalin was made the working president of the party after Karunanidhi’s health did not permit him to preside over the affairs of the party.
Alagiri had been claiming that despite being the working president of the DMK, Stalin had not been ‘working’. Stalin, however, hit back at his brother’s comments and claimed that he has been working relentlessly for the DMK since the day he was made the party’s working president.
He also asserted that he has the support of the entire cadre after Alagiri claimed otherwise. Stalin made the speech at a crucial meeting of the party which was held to condole the death of his father and late party chief M Karunanidhi.