Stalin’s son to hoist DMK flag in 7 locations

Chennai: In possibly the first of its kind move in DMK, party leader M K Stalin's son Udhayanidhi is all set to hoist its flag in seven locations on July 15, a 'privilege' extended to him despite not holding any post.

Party mouthpiece 'Murasoli' said that Udhayanidhi, its Managing Director and a Tamil cinema actor-producer, will hoist the party flag at seven locations in DMK's Kancheepuram West limits and give a "special address" there.

The event is being organised to mark the 95th birthday of party chief M Karunanidhi. Udhayanidhi is the son of DMK Working President Stalin and the grandson of Karunanidhi.

According to some reports, this is the first time in the party that someone without a post is being allowed to do the flag hoisting.  

DMK sources sought to play down the matter, saying it was a general practice in the party to allow any of its workers to unfurl the flag.  

They said anyone associated with the DMK can do so, with the 'privilege' also being extended to 'language martyrs,' referring to those who had participated in the anti-Hindi agitation of the 1960s. 

"You need not have some post as there have been instances of even primary members being given this privilege. All one has to have is an association with the party or even a faith in its ideals," the sources said.

Further, they pointed out that Udhayanidhi had even attended some recent protests organised by DMK and therefore, it was a matter of time before he joined full time politics.