CHENNAI : With hardly three weeks to go before the DMK is to step into its 70th year, the political organisation has witnessed the emergence of a fifth generation leader at the helm– a leader who was born, in fact, a couple of years after the birth of the Dravidian party.With MK Stalin being crowned as the DMK president, the Dravidian party, founded in 1949, has experienced a generational change in leadership after about five decades.The party’s general secretary, K Anbazhagan, who has been occupying the post for 41 years, made the announcement of Stalin’s unanimous election to the post of party president at the general council meeting held here on Tuesday.
Even before Anbazhagan completed his announcement, the ecstatic cadre and delegates gathered for the occasion burst into raptures. The deafening sound of crackers and percussion instruments rent the air while sweets were distributed to share the joy of their ‘Thalapathi’ becoming the ‘Thalaivar’.
As many as 1, 107 party workers had proposed the nomination of Stalin to the post of party president.
Senior leader and principal secretary Durai Murugan was declared elected as treasurer – a post vacated by Stalin.
Stalin is a fifth generation leader to head the DMK, which is an offshoot of the Justice Party founded by the trio - Natesan Mudaliyar, Dr TM Nair and Pitty Theagaroya – in the pre-Independence era (1916). Later, social reformer EV Ramasamy, fondly called ‘Thanthai Periyar’, established the Dravidar Kazhagam in 1944, heading the organisation.Late Chief Minister CN Annadurai founded the DMK, branching out of the DK in 1949 after deciding to participate in electoral politics. After the demise of Annadurai, the crown fell on M Karunanidhi who headed the party as its president until breathing his last on August 7.
Three weeks after his demise, his son Stalin assumed office as the chief of the party at the age of 65.
Stalin has held several posts, both in the party and government, before ascending to the peak in the party organisation now, despite serving as the de facto chief for about two years since his father was incapacitated by ailing health.
The general council has also adopted a resolution abolishing the post of working president.
It also passed resolutions condoling the death of Karunanidhi, former Speaker of Lok Sabha Somnath Chatterji and former Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, among others.Soon after elected president, Stalin drove to the Marina Beach to pay floral tributes to Annadurai and Karunanidhi, before visiting the Periyar memorial at Vepery.Later in the afternoon, he stepped into Anna Arivalayam to occupy the chair of DMK president formally. A large number of party leaders and cadre thronged to greet him.