DMK to restructure its district party units ahead of Lok Sabha elections

Ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2019, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK) has started the work to reform the party's district units now as a measure to strengthen the party on ground. This is the third time the party is revisiting it's organisation since 196, when the party was launched.

Till now, the DMK appointed one secretary for each district in Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Puducherry . However, when they lost 2011 legislative assembly elections and 2014 parliament elections, the reforms were done in the party's district unit.

Though the DMK district units were increased to 65 in 2015, chaos with the jurisdiction still exists. Hence DMK working president M.K.Stalin appointed a committee headed by former union minister T.R.Baalu a month back to suggest recommendations. Baalu is also a high-level committee member of DMK to restructure the party unit again.

After undertaking various interactions with the cadres and party office bearers, Baalu committee has submitted the report to Stalin on Saturday.

When HT Contacted Baalu, he said, "As per the directions of Stalin and party general secretary Anbazhagan, I worked around a month to submit the report. And the party high command will take actions as per the report."

“In order to sort out the confusions in the district unit of DMK, we have decided to restructure the district units based on the legislative assembly constituencies. As per DMK bylaw 11 and section 1, we have appointed a committee headed by TR Baalu to execute the work. As the committee submitted the report to high command changes will be done in the party's organisation structure" K.Anbazhagan said in Murasoli, the mouthpiece of DMK.

Party sources said the new district units will be formed after merging three to four assembly constituencies.

Ma.Subramaniam, former mayor of Chennai corporation and a DMK MLA told HT, " I am working as a district secretary for party's south Chennai district. But there are a few Village panchayats from Sozhinganallur assembly constituency that are coming under the jurisdiction of DMK's Kanchipuram north district unit. Therefore we were facing conflicts during elections. Since the Lok Sabha elections are coming next year, to uproot these issues, the party decided to revamp its organisation" he said.