Anitha Radhakrishnan named DMK’s Thoothukudi south secretary

Tiruchendur MLA and local strongman Anitha Radhakrishnan has been appointed secretary of Thoothukudi South comprising Tiruchendur, Srivaikundam, Ottapidaram Assembly constituencies. The post was long held by her father N Periasamy.

However, the party did a balancing act by accommodating’s daughter and Thoothukudi MLA Geetha Jeevan in Thoothukudi North comprising Thoothukudi town, Vilathikulam and Kovilpattti Assembly segments. In the process the party replaced A Subramanian, who was appointed in charge of the north district even while he was active. 

The appointment of two new district secretaries for Thoothukudi has witnessed mixed reactions among the DMK cadres in the district on Saturday. 

Periasamy’s daughter and Thoothukudi MLA Geetha Jeevan, Periasamy’s son Jegan Perisamy, Tiruchendur MLA Anitha Radhakrishnan and another DMK functionary S Joel, were considered for the post. However, on Saturday, the party announced two district secretaries. 

Anitha Radhakrishnan was appointed as the Thoothukudi South District Secretary, while Geetha Jeevan was appointed as the DMK North District Secretary replacing A Subramanian. 

While a section of DMK cadre celebrated the appointments by bursting crackers and distributing sweets to the public, another group criticised the party’s decision. 

A DMK cadre from Thoothukudi, on request of anonymity, said that the appointment of Anitha Radhakrishnan came as a disappointment for most of the functionaries here. Anitha had openly offered to resign his seat for former AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa, to contest from Tiruchendur Constituency after she came out of Karnataka prison in 2015 and was even waiting to shift loyalties to the AIADMK. “He was never loyal to the DMK and how come such a person could be appointed as DMK district secretary,” he questioned.

Another DMK cadre from Kovilpatti, requesting anonymity, said that only the post of DMK South District Secretary was vacant and there was no need for replacing the Thoothukudi North District Secretary. The appointment of Geetha Jeevan indicates the party’s preference to family rule and the cadre questioned the need to replace Subramanian, who was doing well as Thoothukudi North District Secretary.