The DMK’s emergency executive committee meeting, convened on Tuesday to condole the death of party president M. Karunanidhi, also turned out to be an occasion for senior party leaders to demonstrate their loyalty to working president M.K. Stalin.
“In Stalin, Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) has left a banyan root; though he (Karunanidhi) disappeared, Stalin remains a ray of hope; a great mountain is no more, but Stalin has emerged as a tower,” said former Minister and DMK’s principal secretary Duraimurugan. With these words, he sent out a clear message that the party would back Mr. Stalin, Karunanidhi’s younger son, and not the late DMK chief’s elder son M.K. Alagiri, who was expelled from the party in 2014.
Even though the meeting was organised primarily to condole the death of Karunanidhi, the party high-command extended a special invitation to office-bearers at all levels, making the event look almost like a general council meeting.
Mr. Duraimurugan said Mr. Stalin possessed all the skills and qualities required for leading the party like his father.
“We will be with you [Stalin]. Embrace us. You order, we will fulfil it,” he declared.
‘Seeing Kalaignar in him’
Former Union Minister T.R. Baalu said that “like the air that will fill the vacuum”, Mr. Stalin had filled the leadership vacuum in a natural way. Party legislator J. Anbazhagan said he was “seeing Kalaignar” in Mr. Stalin, and urged him to put an end to the AIADMK government.
Former Minister K.N. Nehru said everyone in the party would rally behind Mr. Stalin.
Former Speaker R. Avudaiyappan said Karunanidhi had clearly identified Mr. Stalin as the one to lead the party, as he possessed all the necessary qualities to work for the party and the society.
Earlier, party spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan read out the condolence resolution adopted at the meeting.
The party listed various achievements of Karunanidhi as DMK leader and five-time Chief Minister of the State, including the abolition of hand-pulled rickshaws, land reforms, the creation of a slum clearance board, equal share for women in family property, 33% reservation for women in local bodies and the creation of welfare boards for disadvantaged sections of society.