Stalin appointed DMK working president

DMK general council today appointed party treasurer and leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly M K Stalin as the working president of the party.

DMK president M Karunanidhi did not attend the meeting, due to his health.

Party general secretary K Anbazhagan presided over the meeting and made the announcement, which was accepted by nearly 3,000 members of the general council.

Stalin was appointed by amending the bylaws of the party. In the past too, the party had amended its bylaws to create two deputy general secretary posts reserved for a woman and a Dalit.

He will be the first working president of the DMK. In fact, the post of president was created only after the demise of party founder C.N. Annadurai, who had reserved the president’s post for his political mentor and Dravidar Kazhagam leader Periyar E.V. Ramasamy.

It may be recalled that the General Council meeting had been deferred following Karunanidhi's hospitalisation due to lung and throat infection. Karunanidhi was discharged from a private hospital on 23 December.