DMK organisational polls from Feb 6

Chennai, Jan 8 (UNI) The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu today announced organisational elections to the party from February 6, even as party President and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi took pride that the membership crossed the one crore mark and the party has established more than one lakh branch units in the state.

The 13th organisational elections to the party would be keenly watched as it is likely to pave way for youth wing leader and Local Administration Minister M K Stalin to take the reigns of the party.

After the youth wing's first-ever state-level conference in Tirunelveli in December last, speculations were ripe that Mr Stalin, son of Mr Karunanidhi, would be elected as President of the party.

He is presently Deputy General Secretary of the party and it remains to be seen whether the organisational elections would signal transition of power. The process of organisational elections is likely to last for about six months.

A DMK headquarter's release here said the elections for office bearers at various levels, right from the branch level to the highest post, would begin on February 6 and the first phase would begin at branch levels in villages.

Eversince the party was launched in 1949, 12 organisational elections have been conducted and those elected held office for a period of five years.

After elections to various levels, elections to the district secretary posts, general council and executive council members would be conducted and the newly elected General Council members would elect the President, General Secretary and Treasurer, the release said.

In an epistle to partymen, Mr Karunanidhi said the DMK was probably the only one in the world to regularly conduct organisational elections eversince it was launched in 1949 and appealed to party workers to ensure that the polls were held in a democratic manner.

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