DMK working president MK Stalin is all set to be elected as the party's new president, the post held by his late father M Karunanidhi for about 50 years, when party's general council meets in Chennai on August 28.

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A statement issued by party's general secretary K Anbazhagan said that all the members of the general council to attend the meeting without fail as there would be an election to the posts of party's president and treasurer. Stalin is presently holding the post of treasurer as well.

Karunanidhi who passed away on August 7 assumed charge as the party's first president on July 27, 1969, after the demise of party's founder and then chief minister CN Annadurai who had kept the chair of the party's president vacant for his mentor Periyar EV Ramasamy.

After the demise of Karunanidhi on August 7, Stalin’s elevation to the party’s top post was almost certain but for the disgruntlement expressed by the elder brother and expelled leader MK Alagiri who claimed to have the support of his father’s loyalist. However, the party’s emergency executive committee meeting on August 14 demonstrated the support enjoyed by Stalin with the speaker after speaker asking him to take the party’s mantle.

The timing of the general council meeting was fixed ahead of the culmination of the party’s Karunanidhi’s memorial meeting in Chennai on August 30 where the leaders of various parties including Congress president Rahul Gandhi are expected to attend.

Sulking Alagiri, who was DMK’s south organising secretary before being expelled in 2014, seems to be planning to hold a massive peace rally on September 5, in a show of strength, to observe the first of Karunanidhi’s demise. Unlike Alagiri, Karunanidhi’s younger daughter Kanimozhi seems to be content with her present role in the party as its face in New Delhi.

A senior DMK leader said that Stalin would be elected unanimously on the general council meeting on August 28 as it was the wish of Karunanidhi as well. The leader said that the party’s principal secretary and senior leader Duraimurugan would be elected as party’s treasurer. 

“Stalin was promoted as party’s working president in January last year after Karunanidhi was taken ill,” he said, adding that Alagiri was expelled from the party when Karunanidhi was very much active. The leader added that Alagiri was out of politics for over four years and he has no support of cadres.