DMK dist secretaries’ meet on Feb 17 to discuss party polls

A statement issued by DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan said the meeting would be chaired by party president MK Stalin at party headquarters Anna Arivalayam at 5 pm on February 17 to discuss organisational polls. The meeting happens in the backdrop of the party high command giving the sack to some of its district secretaries and replacing them with some new faces and loyalists. DMK has announced that it would hold organisational polls to fill rural posts at union and panchayat levels on February 21. It would be followed by urban and district level elections, which would culminate with the election of party president and general secretary. The announcements have lent credence to speculation about the party making changes at top level, especially general secretary and treasurer posts, which was under consideration even last year. Stalin had allegedly contemplated replacement of K Anbazhagan with Duraimurugan and elevating Tiruvannamalai district secretary to the office of treasurer. However, the idea was put on hold following personal request from the family of Anbazhagan, which caused an amendment to the party by law empowering Stalin to make decisions on behalf of the general secretary.