Tamil Nadu: DMK picks Stalin as leader of Opposition

The DMK moved to the next big step in power transition at the top level and declared party treasurer M.K. Stalin as its floor leader, elevating him to the status of the Opposition leader.

The decision was taken at party MLAs meeting chaired by party president M. Karunanidhi at the DMK headquarters here. At the MLAs meeting held immediately after the chief executive committee meeting, it was also decided that principal secretary K. Duraimurugan will be the deputy leader of the party, R. Chakrapani the chief whip and K. Pitchandi the deputy whip. The decision announced by Mr Karunanidhi was welcomed with loud applause by party MLAs.

Mr Stalin, in an immediate Facebook post, thanked Mr Karunanidhi and other MLAs for electing him as the Opposition leader. He vowed to function well and discuss people’s issues constructively at the House to maintain parliamentary democracy.

Mr Stalin’s elevation makes it clear that Mr Karunanidhi will guide the party from outside. Mr Stalin, who entered politics when he formed the party’s youth wing in 1982, became an MLA in 1989. Later, he was assigned the role of Chennai mayor in 1996 and was given a key portfolio of local administration in the 2006 DMK government.

In 2008, Mr Stalin was elevated to the post of treasurer, a post held by his father Karunanidhi in the 1960s and later by AIADMK founder MGR, before the matinee idol was expelled from the DMK. Mr Stalin was made the deputy chief minister in 2009.

He was expected to be named as the party’s chief ministerial candidate for the just concluded Assembly elections. However, Mr Karunanidhi was nominated as the chief ministerial candidate. Senior leader and party general secretary K. Anbazhagan did not contest the Assembly elections. Mr Karunanidhi, in a short speech at the executive committee meeting, said the DMK could not be defeated. “Those who wanted to ruin the DMK were ruined. Each of the DMK members should vow to move forward taking firm and fearless steps without giving room for betrayers.”