DMK to go slow on party reorganisation

The party has decided to hold elections for union, city and district secretary posts after the urban local body elections. The information revealed by Stalin to his district secretaries on February 17 was blurted out by one of his district secretaries during a meeting to discuss the ensuing birthday celebration of the party president.

Tiruvallur district secretary ‘Gummidipoondi’ Venu was caught assuring his union secretaries in the meeting that the organisational poll would not be held immediately, and they would remain union secretaries till the elections. Though the district secretary did not elaborate on the elections, DMK sources confirmed that Stalin had only meant civic polls as the Assembly poll was not due for at least a year.

The reassuring statement by a district secretary has evoked bittersweet reactions from the party rank and file. While cadre who aspired for elevation were upset with the ‘announcement,’ the existing union secretaries have heaved a sigh of relief. Deferment of organisational polls have come in the backdrop of the DMK high command axing several non-performing district secretaries and appointing new faces to oversee the party affairs there.

The district-level revamp and announcement of organisational poll from bottom to the top-level posts had triggered speculation that the party would allow infusing of some young blood to lift the spirits ahead of a major election year. However, party insiders with knowledge reasoned that the high command was of the view that a shake-up ahead of the urban local body polls would be untimely and it could cost them dearly in the polls.

Party sources also attributed the delay in organisational polls to the deteriorating health of the party general secretary K Anbazhagan, who has been put on ventilator in a leading hospital during the last few days. The DMK, which has been contemplating change at helm for a while, had amended the bylaw allowing the president to acquire the powers on par with the general secretary.