<p>Chennai: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, the DMK’s woman face, has got her own office space in the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, signifying her growing importance in the ruling party in the run-up to the crucial 2026 assembly elections. </p><p>The office was inaugurated by none other than her half-brother and party president, M K Stalin, who is also the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.</p> <p>Kanimozhi, the Lok Sabha MP from Thoothukudi in the southern part of the state, has been gaining prominence in the DMK for the past few years, emerging as the party’s voice in New Delhi, given her experience as a Member of Parliament, with two terms in the Rajya Sabha and in the Lok Sabha since 2019. Recently, she was given charge of coordinating the party’s campaign for the assembly polls in over 35 constituencies in southern Tamil Nadu.</p> .<p>One of the five deputy general secretaries of the DMK, Kanimozhi is the only one to get an exclusive office space in Anna Arivalayam, sources said, adding that only party leaders who hold posts like organising secretary are allotted rooms in the headquarters, other than the president, general secretary, and treasurer.</p><p> “This shouldn’t be viewed simply through the prism of the allotment of a room. This speaks volumes about the importance that Stalin attaches to Kanimozhi in the party. He values her experience and wants to utilise it. Moreover, we want to keep the party office vibrant before elections, and Kanimozhi functioning from there regularly will achieve this purpose,” a DMK source told DH.</p> .<p>Kanimozhi’s rise in the DMK under Stalin also coincides with the back-to-back promotions that Udhayanidhi, the Chief Minister’s son, has received ever since he made his political debut in 2019. From youth wing chief to MLA to minister to deputy chief minister, Udhayanidhi has had a meteoric rise in the DMK in the last five years.</p><p> Kanimozhi, who has also emerged as a key campaigner for the DMK, especially among women voters, shared a picture of Stalin with her in the new office at the party headquarters, thanking him for the honour. </p><p> Stalin has been particular about keeping Kanimozhi happy by giving her the prominence she deserves, party sources said, adding that this was the reason there was not even a whimper when Udhay was promoted as a minister in 2022 and later made the DCM.</p> .<p>“This is a calculated move, as putting up a united face is very important. Stalin has ensured that both Kanimozhi and Udhay get equal prominence in the party by showing that they can co-exist without any problem. And the prominence for Kanimozhi will only strengthen the party and send a message to the cadres,” a senior DMK leader added.</p><p> Kanimozhi was made the chief of DMK Parliamentary party after the 2024 polls and was recently nominated by the Union Government to lead a delegation representing India to other countries to explain its stand on Operation Sindoor.</p>
<p>Chennai: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, the DMK’s woman face, has got her own office space in the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, signifying her growing importance in the ruling party in the run-up to the crucial 2026 assembly elections. </p><p>The office was inaugurated by none other than her half-brother and party president, M K Stalin, who is also the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.</p> <p>Kanimozhi, the Lok Sabha MP from Thoothukudi in the southern part of the state, has been gaining prominence in the DMK for the past few years, emerging as the party’s voice in New Delhi, given her experience as a Member of Parliament, with two terms in the Rajya Sabha and in the Lok Sabha since 2019. Recently, she was given charge of coordinating the party’s campaign for the assembly polls in over 35 constituencies in southern Tamil Nadu.</p> .<p>One of the five deputy general secretaries of the DMK, Kanimozhi is the only one to get an exclusive office space in Anna Arivalayam, sources said, adding that only party leaders who hold posts like organising secretary are allotted rooms in the headquarters, other than the president, general secretary, and treasurer.</p><p> “This shouldn’t be viewed simply through the prism of the allotment of a room. This speaks volumes about the importance that Stalin attaches to Kanimozhi in the party. He values her experience and wants to utilise it. Moreover, we want to keep the party office vibrant before elections, and Kanimozhi functioning from there regularly will achieve this purpose,” a DMK source told DH.</p> .<p>Kanimozhi’s rise in the DMK under Stalin also coincides with the back-to-back promotions that Udhayanidhi, the Chief Minister’s son, has received ever since he made his political debut in 2019. From youth wing chief to MLA to minister to deputy chief minister, Udhayanidhi has had a meteoric rise in the DMK in the last five years.</p><p> Kanimozhi, who has also emerged as a key campaigner for the DMK, especially among women voters, shared a picture of Stalin with her in the new office at the party headquarters, thanking him for the honour. </p><p> Stalin has been particular about keeping Kanimozhi happy by giving her the prominence she deserves, party sources said, adding that this was the reason there was not even a whimper when Udhay was promoted as a minister in 2022 and later made the DCM.</p> .<p>“This is a calculated move, as putting up a united face is very important. Stalin has ensured that both Kanimozhi and Udhay get equal prominence in the party by showing that they can co-exist without any problem. And the prominence for Kanimozhi will only strengthen the party and send a message to the cadres,” a senior DMK leader added.</p><p> Kanimozhi was made the chief of DMK Parliamentary party after the 2024 polls and was recently nominated by the Union Government to lead a delegation representing India to other countries to explain its stand on Operation Sindoor.</p>