DMK eases into poll mode with youth wing meet

The DMK youth wing’s statewide conference commenced at the Anna Grounds, in Maraimalai Nagar on Sunday, even as the clouds of factionalism continued to loom over the recent appointment of its functionaries.

The conference saw the participation of around 4,000 delegates who had recently been appointed to youth wing posts in each of the party’s organisational divisions. The appointments had raised the tenor of the factional feud between M K Alagiri and M K Stalin, sons of party president M Karunanidhi. Alagiri’s faction had raised an issue with the appointments made by Stalin, who serves as the youth wing secretary.

The conference at Maraimalai Nagar has been seen by party insiders as Stalin’s show of strength.

The conference was inaugurated by Stalin on Sunday morning, with local party satrap T M Anbarasan hoisting the flag at the venue.

Party chief M Karunanidhi and general secretary K Anbazhagan took part in the event on Sunday evening. Sources within the party said the conference is an attempt by Stalin to galvanise the youth wing ahead of preparations for the Lok Sabha polls that are scheduled for 2014.