Stalin to succeed Karunanidhi as DMK president

With its longest-ever president M Karunanidhi passing away, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) will soon hand over the baton to his son M K Stalin, who was identified as his political successor by the five-time chief minister himself.

Karunanidhi's elder son M K Azhagiri, who was expelled from the DMK in 2014, might not play any role in the party. It was amply clear in the treatment that was given to him and his family at the Rajaji Hall, where the DMK chief 's mortal remains were kept for public homage.

While Stalin, his half-sister Kanimozhi, senior party leader Durai Murugan and former Union Ministers Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja and T R Baalu stood around Karunanidhi's body, Azhagiri who once controlled the DMK in nine southern district was seated in a corner beside Karunanidhi's body.

The clear indication that Stalin will lead the DMK as its new president came from Durai Murugan, who shared the happy news of the Madras High Court allowing Karunanidhi to be buried at Marina Beach besides his mentor C N Annadurai.

"Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) was a fighter all through his life. He fought even after his death and got his rightful place in the history. This is the first victory for us under Thalapathy (Stalin) and now let us all resolve to bring our party back to power (under Stalin's leadership)," he said.

Sources in the DMK said the general council of the party will soon meet and elect Stalin as the president.

Karunanidhi had announced that Stalin would be his political successor more than once and it was under his command that the latter took over as DMK working president when the former fell ill in October 2016.