CHENNAI:DMK working president MK Stalin on Sunday filed nomination for the post of party president, weeks after his father and party chief M Karunanidhi passed away.
His nomination was proposed by all 65 party district secretaries before it was filed before the DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi at the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam. Principal secretary and Deputy Leader of Opposition Durai Murugan filed nomination for the post of party treasurer, the post that Stalin will vacate, once elected party president.
No other party leaders filed nominations for the two posts at the close of filing papers at 4 pm. “Two nominations each from Stalin for the post of president and from Durai Murugan for the post of treasurer were received till 4 pm on Sunday when the filing of nominations closed,”, Bharathi said. The withdrawal of nominations ends at 4 pm on Monday. The election of Stalin as party president and Durai Murugan as treasurer will be formalised at the DMK general council meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Chennai.
Stalin will be the second president of the party succeeding his father, who held the post for about five decades since the demise of party founder CN Annadurai, setting a new record in the country’s political history.
Before filing papers, Stalin visited DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan, along with Durai Murugan, to seek his blessings. He also paid a visit to Anna Samadhi and paid floral tributes to Annadurai and his father. As far as the treasurer’s post is concerned, Stalin has occupied it since 2008, replacing DMK veteran and Karunanidhi’s trusted lieutenant ‘Arcot’ N Veerasamy, party sources said.
‘Will file nomination for by-poll’
When asked by media persons about Stalin filing nomination for the post of DMK president, M K Alagiri said, “Why are you asking me about this? You asking me to propose his candidature? We will file nomination if by-poll is conducted.” He held a meeting with his supporters in Madurai on Sunday.