Chennai: DMK Party gets a New President

     Written by : SMTV24x7 | Tue, Aug 28, 2018, 12:11 PM

Chennai: MK Stalin unanimously elected as DMK president

Chennai, Aug 28: As we know that, DMK Supremo Karunanidhi passed away early this month due to prolonged health issues.

M.K. Stalin was unanimously elected as the president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) at the party's general counsel at the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam, Chennai, on Tuesday. As DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan announced the selection of Stalin as the president of the 69-year-old party, Anna Arivalayam erupted in jubilation and raised slogans in praise of Stalin.

The general secretary also announced the election of the senior leader and Principal Secretary Duraimurgan as the new treasurer of the DMK. Since 2008, Stalin had held the post of treasurer, a powerful position in the party, previously held by M Karunanidhi, M G Ramachandran, Sadiq Basha and Arcot N. Veerasamy.

The previous general council of the DMK was held in January 2017, in which Stalin took over as the working president of the party after Karunanidhi's deteriorating health prevented him from presiding over party affairs. Karunanidhi, who held the post of the party president for 50 years, died on 7 August.

An important breakthrough in Stalin's political career came in 1976 when he was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency.

The Thalapathy (Commander) who was elevated as the Thaliavar (leader) on Tuesday, Stalin has held positions, including secretary of the DMK's youth wing, mayor of Chennai Corporation and deputy chief minister during the DMK’s tenure in 2006-11.

The 2016 Assembly election in Tamil Nadu saw Stalin take complete control of the party. His extensive year-long "Nammakku Namme" (We for Us) campaign, ahead of the election, established him as the next face of the DMK.

While the party lost to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the DMK alliance with 98 seats in the 234-member Assembly emerged as the largest-ever Opposition in Tamil Nadu with just a 1.1% difference in vote share. Stalin was made the leader of the Opposition.