Barring the units in Chennai, the DMK has completed its organisational polls for office-bearers in all districts, ensuring space for new faces along with the old guard.
But, there are also complaints that major communities such as Vanniyars and Dalits and women have not got adequate representation.
“We cannot decide the community of a candidate in elections. You can make an allegation against us only if we have nominated office-bearers and missed out a particular community,” explained party treasurer M.K. Stalin, the brain behind the creation of new party districts to limit the area of control under the party veterans and ensure representation to new faces.
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Almost all former Ministers, who also doubled as district secretaries, have again retained their positions in this round of organisational polls. However, they can now hold sway over only a part of their traditional turf.
Asked about the poor representation of Dalits, Mr Stalin said the party had secured proper representation for Dalits and women at all levels—from the party headquarters to the local units—by creating posts of deputy secretary, one each for women and Dalits.
Even though Vanniyars had won the post of district secretaries in Ariyalur, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore, they failed to get representation in the erstwhile south and north Arcot, the traditional Vanniyar belt.
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“They had no representation in Villupuram and Vellore districts even though the original objective of carving out new districts out of them was to pave the way for electing Vanniyars,” said a senior leader, while explaining that all other communities, particularly Mukkulathor, Nadar, Yadava, Vellala and Gounder have strengthened their position in the party structure.
As far as Dalits are concerned, only former MP A.K.S. Vijayan (Nagapattinam South) and Mangalur Ganesan (Cuddalore West) have been elected district secretaries. The only woman district secretary (Villupuram South) is former MLA A. Angaiyarkanni.
Mr. Stalin said that in a big political party like the DMK, there would be some discontent and this time also the party has received some complaints.
“But we resolved them. Probably, we are the only party in the country that has conducted elections for the 14th time. The fierce battle for office-bearers at all levels bears testimony to the fact that DMK is vibrant and alive,” he said.
The party is now ready for elections in Chennai district, which has been divided into South, North, East and West.
It will be followed by the election of the party president, general secretary, treasurer and two deputy general secretaries — one woman and one Dalit.
There is also speculation that Mr Stalin is keen on contesting for the general secretary post now occupied by K. Anbazhagan, but this is denied by Stalin supporters.