Chennai: Amid talk in DMK circles about the likely elevation of party treasurer M.K. Stalin to the post of acting or deputy president of the party, he met his elder brother M.K. Alagiri on Wednesday in what appears to be preliminary negotiations for a smooth transition of power.

Alagiri, who had stoutly opposed Stalin’s leadership of the party, arrived at DMK chief M. Karunanidhi’s Gopalapuram residence in the afternoon. Stalin too went to his father’s house a few minutes later. According to party sources, the brothers held discussions for more than an hour in the presence of former Union ministers T.R. Baalu, A.Raja and former state minister A.V. Velu.


The meeting assumes significance as it comes when the party chief M. Karunanidhi has not been seen in public for more than a month due to illness and most senior leaders and district satraps have been pitching for a key post to elevate Stalin, who has already emerged as the face of the party in public.

The DMK principal secretary K. Duraimurugan, speaking at the centenary celebrations of Justice Party yesterday, asserted that Stalin would be the next leader of the party, setting the stage for the youth wing leader’s ascendancy to the top. The party’s executive council meeting would be held in December, followed by its general council meeting.