CHENNAI: The DMK has formally announced that it would restructure the party organisation into districts on the basis of the State’s revenue districts. This would take the total number of party districts from the present 35 to 65. Sources in the party said the restructuring should be completed in six months time, with organisational elections held for all levels.
A statement from party general secretary K Anbazhagan on Monday named 65 new districts of the party, and listed the various Assembly constituencies they would comprise. Anbazhagan added that internal elections would soon be held to choose functionaries at the union, town and district levels.
“This is a process that has been going on for more than a year. We had to put it on hold because of the Lok Sabha elections. Elections at the panchayat level have already been completed,” said a senior functionary of the DMK. “The process will now see elections at the union, town and district levels, in that order. This would then be followed by the elections at the headquarters level,” he said. We should be done with all of this in six months time,” he added.
The restructuring has been announced on the basis of recommendations made by a committee set up for the purpose at the high level strategy committee meeting held on June 2.
Even as the DMK attempts to streamline the running of the party, it is understood that the higher number of districts could well serve to accommodate more leaders in party posts.
“It is a good thing in some ways. Some leaders have been in the party for decades, and are pretty much well entrenched in their respective cities. It becomes difficult for anyone else to rise beyond a certain level. Now, the others can also hold district secretaryships,” said a party leader.
“For instance, senior leader Durai Murugan’s hold is unshakeable in Vellore. Now that there are more districts, all those who have been feeling stifled can be accommodated in posts, and new blood can also be brought in,” the leader added.