Wall Posters Urge DMK MP Kanimozhi to Take Leadership Role, Stirring Speculation

Chennai: Wall posters inviting DMK MP, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, to take up the leadership role appeared in many parts of Chennai on her birthday on Friday, creating a flutter in party circles even as arrangements were being reportedly made to project State Minister for Youth Affairs, Udhayanidhi Stalin, as the heir apparent of Chief Minister M K Stalin.

The second conference of the DMK Youth Wing, which was postponed twice due to the rains in December, has now been finalized to be held on January 21 at Salem. The event is considered to be converted into a springboard for the youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin to ascend to higher position in the party and government.

Since the posters, brought out by G Senthil, a former municipal councillor and office bearer of the DMK’s South Chennai district commercial wing, appeared in such a political backdrop, it triggered speculations of discontent within the family of M Karunanidhi.

The posters, while prominently greeting the MP from Thoothukudi on her birthday, calls her ‘Thalaivi’ (leader) and invites her to take up the ''Thalaimai' (leadership role).

Interestingly, the poster has images of Chief Minister M K Stalin, M Karunanidhi, C N Annadurai and Periyar E V Ramasamy, apart from Kanimozhi, suggesting that she was in the line to be the next party president.

While Kanmozhi had a low key birthday celebration and met Stalin to seek his blessings on Friday, the posters became a talking point in DMK circles and social media users, one of whom pointed out that there had been no opposition to the slogans inviting her to take up the party mantle.

Some others speculated that there could be opposition within the larger family of Karunanidhi for the proposed elevation of Udhaynidhi Stalin in the party by ignoring Kanimozhi who came into the party much earlier and had served as member of Rajya Sabha before getting elected to the Lok Sabha.

Or it could be the handiwork of an overenthusiastic supporter of Kanimozhi, expressing his wish through the poster. As of now Kanimozhi is the party’s deputy general secretary and women’s wing secretary and has her own support base across the State.

However, similar posters had appeared earlier on her birthdays, too, with calls to take up the party leadership that had been ignored by the party leadership.