DMK calls for overhaul after poll setback: Age caps, 2-term limit, 110 organisational districts

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like The principal opposition DMK unveiled a structural overhaul in its organisation on Saturday, fixing strict age caps and limiting term for party posts following its electoral setback in the April 2026 assembly election. The party’s executive committee, which met at Anna Arivalayam —the DMK state headquarters —with its president M K Stalin in the chair, passed crucial resolutions to radically restructure the organisation setup. (PTI)The party’s executive committee, which met at Anna Arivalayam —the DMK state headquarters —with its president M K Stalin in the chair, passed crucial resolutions to radically restructure the organisation setup. Under the new blueprint, the DMK will expand its organisational districts from 78 to 110, with each district broadly mapped across two Assembly constituencies to ensure localised administration. Also Read | Focus on young blood, mandatory two-term limit: DMK’s overhaul to bounce back after poll defeat The standalone post of “city secretary” in major urban centers such as Coimbatore and Tambaram has been completely abolished. Instead, urban zones will be redrawn by voter density - Chennai Corporation Area Committees will average 40,000 voters, while other corporations will average 30,000 voters per committee. Once the party president formally releases the boundary maps for the 110 revamped districts, district executive committees must convene within 15 days under headquarters oversight to execute the transition. The executive committee passed nine crucial resolutions to radically restructure its organisational setup. Aiming to professionalise party operations and foster generational succession, the leadership has introduced strict age caps, a mandatory two-term limit across all posts, and a massive expansion of organisational districts. Also Read | Vijay treating Assembly like ‘cinema set, delivering punch dialogues’: Stalin attacks Tamil Nadu CM A resolution that was passed fixed the maximum age at 45 years for branch secretary, 50 years for ward municipal corporation, 60 years for area/union/ town panchayats and a cap of 70 years for district secretary. It limited holding the term of office to two for them all. According to members in the party, the organisational overhaul will reduce the existing territorial powers of the current 77 district secretaries, and also drastically reduce the term in office. Nearly 10 to 13 district secretaries are likely to be axed if the cap on age limit is enforced. They may be transitioned into non-administrative state-level or zonal-level responsibilities in the party, making way for young leaders. There are currently 13 DMK district secretaries aged over 70. They are, Kancheepuram South secretary K. Sundar(72), Ranipet secretary R Gandhi (80), Tiruvannamalai South secretary E V Velu (75), Villupuram North secretary Gingee K S Masthan (71), Salem East secretary S R Sivlingam (75), Erode South secretary S Muthusamy (77), Thanjavur North secretary Sakkottai K Anbazhagan (72), Pudukkottai South secretar S Regupathy (76), Madurai City secretary Thalapathy (70), Theni South secretary N Ramakrishnan (77), Virudhunagar secretary K K S S R Ramachandran (77), Thoothukudi South secretary Anitha R Radhakrishnan (74), Tirunelveli West secretary R Avudaiyappan (81). Also Read | DMK rejects Vijay’s free cars for 59 MLAs, Udhayanidhi Stalin says ‘government in debt’ Meanwhile, Branch Committees will be formed in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, and Salem corporations, and in other corporations wherever necessary, to strengthen the Ward Committees.