CHENNAI: The DMK has rejigged a few district secretaries ahead of the assembly elections by appointing new district in-charges and by reallocating constituencies. The DMK’s move indicates its desperation to win as many seats as possible in the western region.
Former minister Thoppu N D Venkatachalam has been appointed as in charge for Erode Central district that includes two assembly constituencies of Bhavani and Perundurai. Venkatachalam shifted loyalty to the DMK from AIADMK a few years ago.
He commands significant support in Perundurai. Additionally, he now has the responsibility to defeat AIADMK’s local influential leader KC Karuppannan in Bhavani, a seat which is tough for the DMK to win.
Tiruppur Mayor N Dinesh Kumar, who started his political career in DMDK, has been appointed as in-charge of Tiruppur North district. Former minister K S Masthan, who was stripped of both the ministerial and the party posts back-to-back, has been appointed as Villupuram North district in-charge.
R Lakshmanan, MLA, has been made in-charge of Villupuram Central district. Lakshmanan, a former AIADMK district secretary, had switched to the DMK before the 2021 poll. He defeated AIADMK’s C Ve Shanmugam in 2021. K M Raju, who belongs to Badagas community, is the party’s new in-charge of Nilgiris district. BM Mubarak lost his party post here.
MSK Rameshraj is replacing TJ Govindarajan, MLA, as the in-charge of Tiruvallur East district. As the district has a strong presence of Dalits, the DMK chose a man from the same community.
K Annadurai, another sitting MLA, was removed from the party post. Palanivel has become the in-charge of Thanjavur South district. Sources said the party high command was not happy with the performance of Annadurai.
Former minister TPM Mohideen Khan was removed as Tirunelveli Central district secretary. M Abdul Wahab, MLA, has been made the district in-charge. This change was effected following the CM’s recent two-day visit to Tirunelveli.