Supporters within the DMK have begun pressing the leadership to revive the post of Working President, arguing that it could help strengthen the party after its recent Assembly election defeat.
A 36-member field study committee is currently examining the reasons for the setback and is expected to submit its report to party president M.K. Stalin on June 5. Based on the findings, Stalin is said to be considering changes to the party’s organisational structure.
In this backdrop, A.G. Ravi, a former panchayat president and former district councillor from Tiruvallur district, has publicly urged that the Working President post be reintroduced and that deputy general secretary Kanimozhi be appointed to it. Separately, at a recent DMK Youth Wing meeting at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai, some functionaries reportedly said Udhayanidhi should take up the role.
The Working President position existed earlier in the DMK. It was created in 2017 when party leader M. Karunanidhi’s ill health limited his active political role, and Stalin was appointed to the post. After Karunanidhi’s death and Stalin becoming party president in 2018, the post was officially removed from the party rules.
Senior party functionaries, as quoted in the report, also pointed to internal discontent over candidate selection and limited opportunities for Youth Wing and Women’s Wing office-bearers. They said the renewed discussion around the post reflects these pressures, though the final decision rests with Stalin.
