DMK removes VP Duraisamy from its deputy general secretary post

Duraisamy has recently met with BJP’s state President L Murugan

39-Stalin DMK president MK Stalin | File

Days after he called on BJP’s state president L Murugan, DMK Deputy General Secretary VP Duraisamy was removed from the party post by DMK president MK Stalin on Thursday. He was replaced with Rajya Sabha member Anthiyur P Selvaraj.

Duraisamy's meeting with Murugan on May 18 had set off a buzz in the state political circles, given the diverse political ideologies of both parties. Describing the meeting as a "courtesy call", Duraisamy said both he and Murugan hailed from Namakkal district and that they had contested the 2016 assembly election against each other. The BJP too had earlier described the meeting as a courtesy call and that Duraisamy had greeted Murugan for taking over as the state BJP chief recently.

Speculation is rife that Duraisamy might soon join the state BJP and might be accommodated in one of the lucrative posts. Incidentally, the appointment of Murugan as the BJP’s state president, a few months before, as the president of Tamil Nadu unit of BJP, was looked at as a political stunt by BJP insiders. It was said that by appointing a Dalit as the party president, the BJP will usurp the ‘social justice card’ played by the DMK in the state.

Murugan’s appointment came months after DMK’s mouthpiece Murasoli was caught in the Panchami land issue. The DMK moved the court in the land issue. Incidentally, Murugan was the vice chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes then.

On the other hand, Duraisamy was upset with MK Stalin since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections Sources in the party say that he wanted to contest from Namakkal. But the same seat was given to one of DMK’s alliance partners KMK and Duraisamy could not make it to the Lok Sabha. Yet again, Duraisamy’s expectation was shattered when Anthiyur P Selvaraj was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the party high command. Duraisamy had served as Deputy Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 1989 to 1991 and 2006 to 2011.

His ouster from the party post happened at a time when DMK’s intra-party elections are on the cards. The elections, which had begun in February this year, was put on hold when former general secretary K Anbazhagan fell seriously ill. The election to the post of general secretary was also postponed due to the Coronavirus breakout.