Elevated Stalin targets Centre
Says Modi govt needs to be taught a lesson, urges party to oust AIADMK govt
MK Stalin, the son of late former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, on Tuesday took over as the president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and lashed out in his first address at both the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre , saying it needed to be “taught a lesson,” and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government in the state , demanding it be “removed”.
Stalin, who was expected to take over after his father’s death on August 7, was elected at a general council meet of the DMK at its headquarters in Chennai. He is only the second chief of the DMK after his father held the post for 49 years. Party general secretary and Karunanidhi’s longtime aide, 96-year-old K Anbazhagan, read the resolution announcing Stalin as the president.
“Since no other person in the party has filed nomination for the president’s post, I am declaring Stalin as the president of the party. Also, I am scrapping the working president post in the party’s bylaw,” Anbazhagan announced.
The executive committee of the DMK had on August 14 given the nod for Stalin’s elevation to president. Senior party leader S Duraimurugan was elected treasurer of the party in place of Stalin, who served as the DMK’S treasurer and working president until now.
Karunanidhi’s older son MK Azhagiri, removed from the party by his father in 2014 because of an apparent power struggle between the brothers, is seeking to make a comeback into the DMK. Azhagiri had said that his father’s old supporters are with him and warned that if he was not taken back into the DMK, the party would “face consequences”.
Stalin started his acceptance speech with his father’s trademark line: “En uyirilum melaana anbu udanpirappukale”( My beloved brethren who are above to me than my own life). The 65-year-old said that, unlike his father who was a scriptwriter and poet, “I cannot speak and write, but I am brave enough to face (the upcoming) challenges.”
Recalling his father’s praise of his hard work, he assured party workers that he will continue in the same vein till his death. “On this day, I am born again. I am a new man now. You (cadre) are seeing and hearing a new Stalin. I have a dream to take Tamil society to the next level with the genes of DMK -- secularism, social justice, self respect. I cannot realise this dream single-handedly. So, I would like to work together with the cadre for achieving my dream,” Stalin added.
He made it clear that he will continue to oppose the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the AIADMK. “The ruling AIADMK has given up on all the Dravidian principles. We should remove this AIADMK government in the state. The Bjp-led NDA government is also destroying the fabric of secularism and social justice in the country. The Narendra Modiled government is trying to saffronise the country. So, we should teach them a lesson.”
The DMK was a part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre between 2004 and 2014. It was earlier a part of the NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee but had withdrawn support in 2003.
Vinoj P Selvam, the BJP’S youth wing secretary in Tamil Nadu, said the party would take up the challenge and form the next government in the state.
“The saffron brigade under PM Modi is ready for the battle. BJP’S Lotus (election symbol) will soon bloom in Tamil Nadu,” Vinoj said.
Senior AIADMK Gokula Indira said Stalin had become party president because he was Karunanidhi’s son “whereas CM Edappadi K Palaniswami has started his political career from the grassroots and achieved this stature through his hard work.” Indira added that there was no possibility of the DMK unseating the AIADMK because the “people are with us.”
Su Thirunavukkarasar, president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, welcomed Stalin’s speech. “There were many speculations saying DMK would align with BJP... However, Stalin cleared that his party is against BJP. We welcome his line,” he said.
Alagiri didn’t comment on Staling’s speech, saying he wouldn’t say anything in public until September 5, when he is scheduled to address a public rally in Chennai.