Among the key organisational changes made by Stalin at the DMK's August 22 meeting to make up for its poll defeat was the increase in district units from 77 to 110.

Among the key organisational changes made by Stalin at the DMK's August 22 meeting to make up for its poll defeat was the increase in district units from 77 to 110.

Among the key organisational changes made by Stalin at the DMK's August 22 meeting to make up for its poll defeat was the increase in district units from 77 to 110.

Months after losing the Assembly elections, the DMK has chosen to revamp its organisation at all levels. The aim is to bring in more youngsters and new faces in the party following the generational change in the voters. The changes were announced by DMK president and former chief minister M.K. Stalin, based on the recommendations made by the revamp committee.

While addressing the executive committee members and party cadres during the meeting held at the party headquarters in Chennai, Stalin said that the DMK accepted the defeat in the elections, and that there was no hiding from the fact.

Faulting the working style of the party’s office bearers and a few others, Stalin noted that everyone should accept and acknowledge their mistakes.

“We must first acknowledge our mistakes. We must acknowledge them openly. Even if the mistake is committed by an individual, it is the 75-year-old party that had suffered a huge loss because of it," Stalin said.

He urged all the office bearers and every member in the party to perform well in the upcoming days. He said the DMK is special in making comebacks, and that it would return to power very soon.

“We will give it back with interest and principle," he declared.

He also pointed out that though the changes would be harsh on party seniors and office bearers will get disappointed by the changes, they were for the benefit of the DMK.

“But the changes will be for a good reason. I request everyone's cooperation. These changes will ensure that DMK sustains as the strongest political party for the next 100 years. Our actions should aim at restoring trust by youth and women. We are introducing age and term limits for party positions. Priority will be on new faces for party positions,” Stalin said.

Among the resolutions passed during the high-level executive meeting, it was decided to create more district units, increasing the present number from 77 to 110.

In fact, among the Dravidian parties in the state it was the DMK which had the highest number of party districts, which was overtaken by C. Joseph Vijay’s TVK before the elections. The decision to increase the number of district units may help the DMK to have more office bearers and micromanage at the district level in the future.

Changes in party structure

Under the new rules, brought in during the executive meeting, each district unit will comprise two Assembly segments within a revenue district. The new rule also says that any constituency left over in any division will be merged with another district unit within the revenue district.

Under this new arrangement, the powers to identify and decide on the district units will be held by Stalin himself.

The revamp has also come up with another decision to eschew the present city unit secretary as the number of district units is being increased.

With the revamp expected to bring in more new faces as office bearers, the maximum age limit for unit secretaries has been fixed at 45 to make sure that more younger faces are part of the primary roots of the party organisation in the future. As per the new rules, unit secretaries will also have only two terms, as against the old rules, which allowed them to continue for years together.

There will also be changes at the municipal corporation level in the party. The DMK has decided to create a new organisational structure in the municipal corporations, with the age limits of the secretaries of these units also fixed at 45.

Like the unit secretaries, these municipal corporation secretaries will also serve a maximum of two terms. The units are to be initially created in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchi and Salem—major tier-two cities—and in other corporations, such positions will be created if need be.

In Chennai, which was always known as the DMK’s fiefdom, division units will be created for every 10,000 voters.

This change was brought in only because the DMK lost very badly in Chennai, pushing its vote share below 20 per cent in most of the urban centres. In other municipal corporations, each division unit will comprise 5,000 voters. The age limit for division secretaries is fixed as 50, and this post is also only for a maximum of two terms.

The age limit for a town panchayat secretary will be 60, with a tenure cap of two terms, like others.

In areas like Chennai, the party divisions will be made based on 40,000 voters, while in other cities, each area party unit will comprise 30,000 voters.

The age limit for an area secretary will be 60, and the secretary can hold the post for a maximum of two terms.

Similarly, town units will be created for every 40,000 voters. The age limit for a town secretary will be 60, and the secretary can hold the post for a maximum of two terms.

Party units at the panchayat union level will be created for every 30,000 voters. The age limit for a union secretary will be 60, and the secretary will be able to hold the post for a maximum of two terms as well.

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