The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the principal opposition in Tamil Nadu, on Wednesday appointed its treasurer M.K. Stalin as party's new working president. A resolution to this effect was passed at the general council meeting of the party at its headquarters at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai.
Stalin's elevation assumes significance as it came days after Sasikala Natarajan, a close aide of former chief minister Jayalalithaa, took charge as the general secretary of the ruling AIADMK.
Necessary amendments were made in party rules facilitating 63-year-old Stalin's elevation to the post. This is the first time in the history of the over 60-year-old DMK that such a post has been created.
Stalin, son of 92-year-old party President M.Karunanidhi, has been the No.2 in the DMK ever since his elder brother M.K.Alagiri was expelled in 2014. Karunanidhi, who is recuperating after illness, did not attend Wednesday's meeting chaired by party's General Secretary K. Anbazhagan
Though Karunanidhi will remain the titular president of the party, Stalin will now move to the helm of the DMK which had suffered massive drubbing in the last two assembly elections in the state.
"I consider the post of working president is a responsibility. I will function with responsibility," Stalin said after the meeting.
Soon after Stalin was named working president, celebrations broke out with cadres bursting crackers and distributing sweets.
The general council condoled the death of Jayalalithaa. It urged Sri Lankan government to immediately release arrested Tamil fishermen with their boats. The meeting also passed resolution urging the Central government to take action to lift ban on Jallikattu.
(With inputs from agencies)