Tamil Nadu: Amid the threat of power tussle, DMK's Executive Council meeting underway
Chennai, Aug 14 (IBNS) : Amid a possible power tussle between M K Stalin and his elder brother Alagiri following the death of M Karunanidhi, an executive council meeting of the DMK is underway at the party's headquarters in Chennai on Tuesday, media reports said.
The meeting has been convened primarily to condole the death of Karunanidhi, party's supremo for nearly five decades and five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
According to reports, DMK working president Stalin got emotional while remembering Karunanidhi, his father. “Party has lost our leader but I have lost the leader as well as my father. All of us should now work together to take the party to new heights,” he said.
Stalin also slammed the AIADMK establishment for not allowing a Marina burial to Karunanidhi till the court intervened and gave a verdict in the favour of the DMK.
“When Kalaignar was in his last stage I held CM’s hands and pleaded to fulfil his (Karunanidhi) last wish to be buried in Marina Beach but govt didn’t agree,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying.
The meeting takes place a day after expelled DMK leader MK Alagiri, the eldest son of Karunanidhi claimed to have the support of loyalists of his late father. The statement was seen as the sign of an imminent succession war that he may wage against younger brother Stalin who was handpicked by the late DMK patriarch as his political heir.
Going by the agenda, Tuesday's executive council meeting will adopt a resolution condoling Karunanidhi's death and fix a date for the general council meeting. Though the agenda does not include Stalin's elevation as the party president, speculations are rife over such an evenetuality taking place at the meeting.
Referring to Alagiri's challenge to Stalin, DMK legislator J Anbalagan said the party is behind the younger sibling.
"Stalin should lead DMK from where Karunanidhi stopped. We see Karunanidhi through Stalin. The party and Tamil Nadu are behind Stalin," NDTV quoted him as saying.
Alagiri, once considered as a party strongman having considerable influence in the party grassroots, was expelled in 2014 after he criticised the party over policy matters. Since then Stalin gained ground within the party.
Keywords : DMKExecutiveCouncilMeeting,PossiblePowerTussle,MKStalin,Alagiri
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