DMK general council elevates A Raja, Ponmudy; Kanimozhi’s position remains unchanged

According to party insiders, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin had a tough time in convincing seniors in the party who were mulling for key posts.

Chennai: Senior leaders of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Duraimurugan and TR Baalu, have been elected unopposed as the general secretary and treasurer of the party. While A Raja and Ponmudy have been elevated as the deputy general secretaries of the party, Kanimozhi’s position from the party remains unchanged.

Due to COVID-19, the DMK leadership decided to hold the general council meeting virtually and it was attended by the party members from all across Tamil Nadu. According to party insiders, DMK chief MK Stalin had a tough time in convincing seniors in the party who were mulling for key posts. “MK Stalin did not want an election for the post of general secretary and treasurer.”

A Raja and Ponmudy who were also eyeing for key posts in the party were convinced by the leadership to accept the role of deputy general secretaries. Sources say Kanimozhi’s name was also considered for the post of deputy general secretary, however, her position in the party remains unchanged.

The DMK’s Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi is also the president of DMK women’s wing and she was elevated to the post in 2015. Speaking to Times Now, a party worker from her Thoothukudi constituency said “This time there was a lot of expectation among her supporters that she will be elevated as we prepare for the 2021 Assembly Elections. She has huge popularity among the women voters of Tamil Nadu.”

This comes at a time when there is a feeling within the party that MK Stalin’s son Udhaynidhi Stalin is being aggressively promoted in the party. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a DMK member told Times Now, “Kanimozhi’s name was proposed by some of the senior leaders of the party, but it was shot down. After the demise of Sarguna Pandian who was the deputy general secretary, the post has been lying vacant since 2016. We were hoping that Kanimozhi will be given the post but it’s disappointing to see that her name was not even considered.”