CHENNAI : MK Stalin, working president of DMK, speaking at the party’s executive committee meeting on Tuesday, harked back to the 1990s when the party faced a split to indicate that no one could capture the party. The meeting was held to pay homage to late party chief M Karunanidhi. “All of you are aware that I was made working president of party after getting your support following the ill-health of Karunanidhi. At this point, our thalaivar (leader) died. It was his wish to be buried near CN Annadurai.
To fulfil his wish we approached the government But, the Chief Secretary’s announcement came stating our demand had been denied. At the time, our legal wing functionaries assured me that we could win through a legal battle. The announcement that we had won the battle came at 10.30am the next day when we were at Rajaji Hall near the body of our thalaivar,” Stalin explained in an emotional address to the 1000-odd functionaries.
“If the verdict had not been in our favour, the situation would have arisen that would have needed to have been buried next to our thalaivar Karunanidhi,” he said. “We had faced a challenge over the of the rising sun symbol, the flag and the party’s name. At the time, inquiry was conducted by the election commission. The verdict favoured us. At that time, our thalaivar had said that he would have had to have been buried next to Anna’s grave if the verdict had been against us,” Stalin said, recollecting what had happened when the party faced a split following Vaiko’s exit in 1993.
Vaiko had been expelled from the DMK. Nine party district secretaries and 45 per cent of party general council members backed him. Based on this Vaiko appealed to the Election Commission of India that he had the right to lead the party. One of the special invitees of the executive committee meeting said, on condition of anonymity, “By recalling this, Stalin has indirectly said that MK Alagiri can’t make any claim on the party as even Vaiko couldn’t succeed despite enjoying huge support of party general council members.”