DMK to elect new General Secretary on Mar 29

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Sunday announced the convening of its highest decision-making body, the General Council, on March 29 to elect its new General Secretary following the passing away of K Anbazhagan.

DMK President M K Stalin said the successor to Anbazhagan will be elected on March 29 in the General Council meeting. Three posts – President, General Secretary and Treasurer – are elected by the General Council as laid out in the party’s Constitution.

Anbazhagan, who was General Secretary of the DMK for 43 years and a fellow traveller of its patriarch M Karunanidhi for more than six decades, passed away on March 7 due to age-related illness. Anbazhagan was not just associated with the DMK since its inception in 1949 but remained loyal to the party till his last breath.

The post of General Secretary is next only to the President in the DMK, number 2 in the pecking order of the party, and jockeying for the crucial post has already started. Senior leader Durai Murugan, the incumbent Treasurer, is likely to be elevated to the General Secretary post.

A senior party leader told DH that the new General Secretary, in all probability, will be elected unanimously by the General Council of the party on March 29. “Generally, there will be no election for the top three posts in the DMK as a consensus will be evolved within the party by the leadership. I am sure our President M K Stalin will hold discussions and arrive at a consensus on the candidate,” the leader said.

If Durai Murugan is made General Secretary, then the party has to find a replacement for the Treasurer post currently being held by him. This might become problematic as there may be several claimants for the Treasurer’s post.

Former Union Minister A Raja, a prominent Dalit leader, former state ministers E V Velu and I Periyasamy and party’s parliamentary party leader T R Baalu are said to be in the race for the post. There is also clamour for Kanimozhi, Stalin’s half-sister, to be elevated to the Treasurer’s post.