DMK circles are abuzz over whether a truce is possible between Udhayanidhi Stalin and party deputy general secretary Kanimozhi, according to a report published by Dinamalar. The report traces the tension back to the 2024 Lok Sabha election period, when Kanimozhi initially conveyed to senior leaders that she was not keen to contest again.
At the time, talk of elevating Udhayanidhi—then the state sports minister—to deputy chief minister was gaining momentum. The report claims there was unease in Udhayanidhi’s circles over the possibility of Kanimozhi shifting focus to state politics. It adds that Chief Minister M K Stalin persuaded her to contest by projecting strong prospects for the INDIA alliance and a significant role for DMK at the Centre.
Kanimozhi went on to win the Thoothukudi seat with a larger margin than before, but the report says the alliance did not perform nationally as expected, prompting her to refocus on state politics. It further claims that in party events involving Udhayanidhi, Kanimozhi was sidelined, fuelling talk of a rift, while her influence-building efforts intensified in southern districts.
The report notes that she has been working to expand her clout in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari, and cites her role in initiatives such as the Thoothukudi airport expansion and the Kulasekarapattinam rocket launch site. It also says her supporters believe she wants a role in governance in Tamil Nadu, and that she has been preparing to contest from Tiruchendur, where local leaders and cadres have urged her to run.
According to the report, when Kanimozhi raised her request with Stalin, he responded only with “we’ll see”, and later avoided further meetings. It adds that her supporters complain she was not invited for candidate interviews in the southern belt, and argue that the party’s internal equations may shift only if the Udhayanidhi–Kanimozhi issue is resolved.
