CHENNAI: The DMK general council, which was scheduled for August 19 but postponed after the late party president, M Karunanidhi, took seriously ill, is likely to be convened soon to elect DMK working president MK Stalin as the new president.
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan told Express that after ‘Kalaignar’ fell sick, the by-laws of the DMK were amended and MK Stalin was elected as the working president on January 4, 2017. “For the first time in the past five decades, the party president position has become vacant. In the absence of the president or if the president is indisposed, or could not perform his duties, there shall be a working president who will assume all powers of the president,” Elangovan said.
He also said, “Since the president post has become vacant now, we have to elect a new president. But until the new president is elected, the working president will perform the duties of the president. Once the new president is elected, the post of working president will not be there any more.”
Elangovan also explained that the post of president was important for the party because the party had three trusts - Arivalayam Trust, Murasoli Trust, and DMK Trust - and the routine affairs of these trusts should be endorsed by the president. He said, “Our party has announced one-week mourning for our beloved leader. So, we will discuss it after this period.”
Party sources said Stalin wanted to make the general council meeting a smooth affair in view of the changed scenario after the demise of Karunanidhi, in which the relationship among the family members including MK Alagiri kept away from the party for the past four years has become cordial.
In this backdrop, Alagiri may be appointed as the south zone secretary of the party, the post which he held earlier while Kanimozhi is likely to be promoted.