DMK General Council meeting: MK Stalin has been elected the new DMK president.
MK Stalin was elected as the DMK president unopposed at the party''s general council meeting held in Chennai today. Mr Stalin becomes the second president of one of the oldest political parties in the country, a post held by his late father and five-time Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for 49 years. The election was necessitated after Mr Karunanidhi death on August 7. Mr Stalin's elevation comes amid threats by his elder brother and expelled DMK leader MK Alagiri that the party will have to face "consequences" if he was not re-admitted into its fold.
Here are the highlights of MK's Stalin's elevation as DMK chief:
MK Stalin Takes Charge Of DMK, Says Will Teach Narendra Modi Government A LessonMK Stalin stepped into his father M Karunanidhi's shoes today, formally taking over as the chief of the DMK, with a call to arms for his partymen. "My dream is to oppose who give a religious colour to everything. It is not my dream but Tamil Nadu's dream... We will teach a lesson to the Narendra Modi government," said the new party chief.
MK Stalin tweeted, "I feel honoured and grateful to have been elected as the President of the DMK party. I pledge to protect, cherish and advance the four founding principles of our party: Self Respect, Social Justice, Rationalism and Secularism."
DMK president MK Stalin visits M Karunanidhi's memorial at Chennai's Marina beach.
Here's what MK Stalin said:
- Let's question all including ourselves if we go wrong
- My dream is to oppose who give a religious colour to everything
- It's not my dream but Tamil Nadu's dream
- Come to teach a lesson to Narendra Modi government
- Let's throw away the corrupt government in Tamil Nadu
- I don't say I would lead. Let's do it together
MK Stalin addresses DMK members at the DMK headquarters after being elected as the party president.
"Only Mr MK Stalin's nomination papers were filed for party chief's post.... since none other than Stalin is contesting for the party president's post, Mr MK Stalin is being elected unanimously as the chief," DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan said as members of the DMK's General Council cheered loudly.
The DMK general council has adopted a resolution to pay Rs 2 lakh to 248 party workers who died reportedly of shock following MK Karunanidhi's death.
MK Stalin will visit his father M Karunanidhi's memorial at Chennai's Marina Beach later today.
Rahul Gandhi congratulates MK Stalin. "Congratulations to Shri M K Stalin on being elected President of the DMK. I wish him happiness & success as he begins a new chapter in his political journey," Mr Gandhi tweeted.
DMK passes a resolution at party's General Council meeting urging the Union government to confer Bharat Ratna to former Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi: news agency ANI.