DMK leaders give Stalin green signal to lead party
EXECUTIVE MEET Party spokesperson says Stalin has the capacity to lead DMK CHENNAI:Dravida
Munnetra Kazhgam (DMK) spokesman T K S Elangovan on Tuesday led the calls for M K Stalin’s elevation as the party president a week after the party patriarch, M Karunanidhi, passed away. Stalin, Karunanidhi’s son, is currently the DMK’s working president.
The calls came a day after Stalin estranged brother, M K Alagiri, claimed support of “true loyalist cadres” and staked his claim to the DMK leadership. Karunanidhi had expelled Alagiri from the DMK in 2014 and named Stalin as his successor.
“Stalin has the capacity to lead the party. We are ready to work with him. After the demise of (DMK founder) C N Annadurai, our beloved leader Karunanidhi had said he was borrowing Anna’s heart for running the party. Now, I assure you, Stalin has the hearts of Periyar, Anna and Kalaignar (Karunanidhi),” said Elangovan at the party’s first executive committee meeting after Karunanidhi’s death.
Former Union minister and DMK leader, T R Baalu, echoed Elangovan. He said thalapathi (or commander as Stalin is referred to) will become the thalaivar (leader) now. “Kalaignar’s demise is an irreparable loss to the party. But we pin our hopes on our working president. He will lead the party the same way as Kalaignar always did.”
Speeches of Stalin, DMK prin- cipal secretary Durai Murugan and other leaders eulogising Karunanidhi’s contribution to Tamil Nadu moved hundreds of DMK workers to tears.
Stalin urged the cadre to work hard and fulfil Karunanidhi’s dreams . “I have advised the office bearers to work hard for forming the DMK government as a gesture to honour him. It hurts that we have failed to do it for someone who had struggled all his life. So, we should take it seriously now and fulfil his dreams. We should defeat all the hurdles ahead of us.”
Meanwhile, a teary-eyed Stalin, describing his struggle to get a burial place at Marina beach for Karunanidhi, said, “Setting aside my self-esteem and self-respect, I held the hands of chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and pleaded with him to allocate land in Marina for our leader. But he refused.”“But our legal team succeeded in getting directions from the Madras High Court... If the party has failed to get the Marina berth for Kalaignar... it would’ve been my burial at the same spot.”