CHENNAI: The DMK’s executive committee meet on Tuesday made it plain that the party would stand behind working president M K Stalin, one of the sons of late president M Karunanidhi. The speeches of the dozen senior party leaders — many of whom were sobbing — invariably ended with a call for Stalin to take on leadership of DMK from where his father left off.When Durai Murugan, party principal secretary and deputy floor leader, referred to Stalin as “working president who is going to take charge as president”, the hall, with 1,000 functionaries, resounded with non-stop applause for two minutes.
Former union minister and member of the party’s high-level committee, T R Baalu, who broke down talking about Karunanidhi, said, “Our thalaivar (leader) has shown the (future) leader to the party. MK Stalin has the calibre and capacity to lead the party and he can bring the party to power.”
Stalin, choked with emotion at the meeting condoling his father’s death, recalled how he pleaded with the Chief Minister for space for Karunanidhi’s burial at the Marina. But in his address was a veiled message to elder brother M K Alagiri, who questioned his leadership. Stalin said he would have buried himself next to Karunanidhi if DMK had lost the legal battle to have his father buried at the Marina, recalling a statement his father made during a battle for the party symbol and flag.