DMK District Secretaries’ Polls: Party Leaders In Talks With Contenders Who Have Submitted Nominations

Nominations for the posts of district Secretaries and other district council members commenced on Thursday and will end on Sunday.

DMK president Stalin | Credit: ABP Nadu

Chennai: The leadership of Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK is holding talks with candidates who have submitted their nomination papers for the 19 district Secretaries' posts in the state.

The DMK has 72 party districts in the state's 38 districts.

Nominations for the posts of district Secretaries and other district council members commenced on Thursday and will end on Sunday.

While there are possibilities of a compromise between the leaders in 10 party districts, elections are likely to take place in Tenkasi South, Tirunelveli East, Theni North, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts with a keen fight for the post.

The district Secretary's post in the DMK is very powerful and all the party legislators including ministers have to report before them on the issues pertaining to the respective districts.

This will lead to fierce fights between incumbent candidates and fresh faces. However, with the DMK youth wing leader Udayanidhi Stalin having taken more interest in organisational affairs a coterie has developed around him and is trying to call the shots for the district Secretary level elections in Tamil Nadu.

However, the involvement of the youth wing secretary and other youngsters has not gone well with the seniors of the party. 

In many districts, incumbent district secretaries are fighting for the post but sources in the DMK told IANS that those who owe complete allegiance to the first family of the party will get the nod.

With Sunday being the last day for submitting the nominations, hectic parleys are taking place with several state leaders trying to agree on unanimous candidates in each district.

Meanwhile, senior leader Subbulakshmi Jagadesan announced her decision to quit the party and politics a day after the notification of the polls.