Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday warned that disunity among DMK office-bearers in some districts would not augur well for the party, and for those individuals too.
Addressing district secretaries at a virtual meeting, Mr. Stalin, the president of the party, said he had been constantly receiving information about disunity among office-bearers. “I have watched on WhatsApp, fights between some office-bearers on public platforms. In Tenkasi, the district secretary and union chairman fought openly in front of the media during a demonstration. The district secretary was changed only after this incident,” he pointed out.
Mr. Stalin also made a reference to the confrontation in the district of Gingee K. Masthan, Minister for Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare. “The Minister held a mike and responded. His act was captured by all of the mediapersons present, and the Minister was not aware that all channels were recording the incident,” he said.
Reiterating that the party was common to all cadre, the Chief Minister said it did not belong to the office-bearers alone. “The government is common to all. It does not belong to Ministers and MLAs alone,” he said.
Mr. Stalin said that when the DMK came to power, party founder C.N. Annadurai was not happy, but was worried about the future of the party. “It was Kalaignar who nurtured the party and government together. We have to follow his formula,” he said.
The Chief Minister said while the party should be instrumental in coming to power, its members should also help strengthen the party organisation. “District secretaries, office-bearers of the party headquarters, leaders of various wings, MPs, MLAs and all others should work together,” he said.