DMK chief Karunanidhi with his younger son MK Stalin at the party executive meet in Chennai
As Tamil Nadu begins the countdown to the 2016 assembly polls, the DMK's executive meet in Chennai today, its veteran leader M Karunanidhi will be the focus of all attention. This is the first meeting of its newly elected office bearers, most of them loyalists of Mr Karunanidhi's younger son MK Stalin.
With elections due next year and arch rival Jayalalithaa disqualified, Mr Stalin's supporters are pressing for the party to announce him as the Chief Ministerial candidate.
Five time chief minister Mr Karunanidhi had recently said he's not keen to become the Chief Minister for the sixth time. Many observers interpret this as their leader's readiness to pass the baton to his 62 year old son, whom he has groomed as his political successor.
After the expulsion of his elder brother MK Alagiri from the party, Mr Stalin has no rival in the DMK to challenge his elevation as party president or the CM candidate. With arch rival Jayalalithaa disqualified following her conviction in a disproportionate assets case, Mr Stalin's supporters believe an elevation for him now would boost his chances to lead the party to victory in state polls.
There is also the fact that the 90 year old Mr Karunanidhi is unable to actively campaign and that the son was the face of DMKs campaign during the Lok Sabha polls last year. There is added pressure from former ally PMK which has announced 46 year old Dr Anbumani Ramadoss as its CM candidate.
But Mr Karunanidhi, according to observers, would be cautious not to risk the party's poll prospects by allowing his younger son to take charge of the party ahead of polls for fear of being pushed to the sidelines.
While Mr Stalin would be acceptable to the party cadre, sources say the DMK chief could also be worried about the impact it could have on allies who would want him to lead the alliance.
Today's executive meet meeting is expected to prepare the newly elected functionaries to gear up for the polls besides passing resolutions against the state and central governments on various issued like price rise, law and order, imposition of Hindi and Sanskrit, and Sri Lankan navy attacks on Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu.