Unopposed Stalin elected DMK’s chief unanimously

MK Stalin was elected unopposed as president of the DMK Tuesday, heralding a new era in Tamil Nadu’s opposition party that was led by his father, the late M Karunanidhi, for nearly five decades.

Stalin, 65, who is the second president of the DMK, was the only candidate to file nomination for the party chief’s post on August 26, DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan said at the party’s general council meeting.

Stalin’s elevation, about three weeks after the death of Karunanidhi on August 7, comes amid threats by his elder brother, MK Azhagiri, who was expelled by Karunanidhi in 2014. He has said the DMK will face “consequences” if he was not taken back in.

“Only Mr MK Stalin’s nomination papers were filed .... since none other than Stalin is contesting for the party president’s post, Mr MK Stalin is being elected unanimously as the chief,” Anbazhagan said as the general council members cheered loudly.

Chants hailing Stalin as “Thalapathy” (Commander) went up at the Kalaignar Arangam where the council meeting was held.

DMK principal secretary Durai Murugan was elected treasurer, a post Stalin vacated.

Anbazhagan, a party veteran, recalled that Karunanidhi had once said he had not performed any duties for Stalin’s progress as a father, but Stalin had performed his duties as a son and made him proud.

Tracing Stalin’s political journey, Anbazhagan recalled his “untold miseries” while being incarcerated under the then stringent Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency in 1976.

He said Stalin later became deputy mayor of Chennai, was inducted in the DMK cabinet as a minister in 2006, and went on to become deputy chief minister.

While his estranged brother Azhagiri continued to question his leadership credentials, DMK district units and a host of party wings stood like a rock behind Stalin, adopting formal resolutions proposing his name for the party’s top post, leaders said.

Karunanidhi, who died at the age of 94, was appointed DMK president in 1969, a post created for him following the death of party founder CN Annadurai.

Annadurai was the general secretary when he passed away. Stalin has waited patiently for his elevation to the party’s top post. His name had been doing the rounds in the DMK since 2007.

CHENNAI: