Durai Murugan likely to be DMK general secretary

CHENNAI: The DMK has convened a virtual meeting of the party’s general council on September 9 to elect a new general secretary and treasurer for the party, Senior leaders S Durai Murugan and T R Baalu are likely to be unanimously elected to the two posts respectively, multiple sources in the party said.
Prior to that, the DMK had also convened a meeting of the party’s district secretaries this Thursday (September 3).

While no agenda has been set for the meeting, it is likely to take stock of the recent political developments in the state, besides gearing up for electing the two new office-bearers at the general council meeting next week. The meeting of the party’s general council will be held virtually, under my leadership, on September 9. All members of the general council are requested to participate without fail,” DMK president M K Stalin said in a statement.
“Unless there is any exigency or need, DMK has always gone with seniors for such top posts. The posts of president, general secretary and treasurer are elected by the general council, while all other state-level posts are appointed. With the last day for filing nomination being September 3, we will get to know about the next general secretary and treasurer this Thursday itself,” a senior DMK leader told TOI.
Originally, the DMK had initiated the process to elect the new general secretary early this year, following the demise of K Anbazhagan, who had held that post since 1977, on March 7. The fact that Durai Murugan would be the next general secretary became clear, when he resigned from the post of treasurer to file his nomination to contest for the post.
Subsequently, Stalin issued another statement on March 16, setting the agenda for the party’s general council meet, earlier planned on March 29, to elect a new general secretary and the treasurer. As Stalin was clearly in favour of accommodating senior leaders for these two top posts, Durai Murugan and T R Baalu became the obvious choice.
Due to the Covid lockdown, the March 29 general council meeting got postponed. After a couple of months, Stalin, on June 3, announced that Durai Murugan will continue as the party treasurer.
While the move had reportedly upset the senior leader, Durai Murugan later issued a statement that he is not in the DMK for any posts.
In the case of Baalu, who is DMK parliamentary party leader, he was reportedly miffed when the post of principal secretary was taken away from him and given to K N Nehru on January 26.