Dear brothers and sisters,
Our party’s 14th general election have been gradually completed beginning with branch secretaries to district party secretaries, democratically and at the same time with competing sense for serving. Next, the dates for elections for district party secretaries have been announced. Our party is not the one only announcing district secretaries for respective districts in nomination method. From the founding of the party so far 13 general elections were conducted, i.e. 13th general election was conducted on December 27, 2008, and now 14th general election is being held. The DMK is not the ruling party now. But do you know to what extent there is competition among party cadre for serving the party?
In this 14th organisational election the party membership is 84,36,744. As I already wrote once, between the 13th general election and 14th general election being held now, some changes have been made in the party’s organisational set up. In particular, in the 13th party organisational election there were 36 district party units including Madurai and Coimbatore city units. These districts have now been divided into 65 district units for administrative convenience. Similarly, instead of 392 union parry units already existed now they have been split into 578 union party units. Moreover, town units- 129, area units 97, town panchayat units 538, ward units 1,12,247 are there. Among them city wards 820, town panchayat wards 8,397, town wards 3,735,panchayat wards 99,295 in 12,514 panchayats. Among them elections for panchayat wards, town wards, town panchayat wards, unions and towns have been completed. Elections are being held in city wards.
It taken at all India level, I do not know any other party than DMK properly distributing membership cards to members, and conducting elections from lower to top levels on that basis. There are chances for the rising of some problems in one or two places in elections thus held democratically and scientifically. It has come to my notice that such minor problems arose in some places in this 14th organisational elections. Those complaints could have been given due to animosity for either district party secretaries or party headquarters commissioners. Or as their faction was defeated in the election held such complaints could have been given. It is natural that contests are there in a democratic movement. That too in a great party like the DMK, it is understandable that many want to come to one position. But that contest should be held only fairly, healthily and according to democratic norms and should not be in a wrong manner irresponsibly creating animosity.
I have already reminded the moving speech of Arignar Anna at a meeting in Chennai beach on 26.9.1960-
“The DMK is not only a political party; this is a social reform movement. It is not that among all those involved in it, who should be where; it is also not important as to who should assume responsibility at what time; everyone assuming on responsibility is like the war cantonment in this movement. If enemies try to sneak in they will be crushed in between our closeness. The DMK is only an organisation for everyone to serve from one place, and if others think that there were disparities and animosities among us, it should be only said that they have not understood the history of our growth. We could eat in only one plantain leaf; it was only because womb of one mother could not bear so many children that we were not born to one mother!”
Everyone who contest in elections, winning, losing winning chance, and the party comrades who vote for them should not forget these words of Anna.
At a time when the elections for district party secretaries has been announced and arrangements for them are being made, those who contest should bear one thing in mind. That is when we faced very big defeat in the last Lok Sabha elections, one of the reasons among them as written by dailies was the behaviour of some district secretaries, that too those who were in Ministerial positions. Why, they wrote that it was because some district party secretaries running the party as their personal fiefdom. If it were other parties, without any enquiry those against whom complaints were made could be immediately removed and announced. But, is not the DMK following duty, dignity and discipline? Has it not removed autocratic method and safeguarding democracy? Hence, me, General Secretary Perasiriyar and Treasurer brother M.K.Stalin have spoken several times as to how to conduct this election. We have discussed as to how to run the DMK in future. Day and night my thinking is only how to consolidate and protect the party, how to develop and what to do for strengthening the party! If the party’s functioning has to be further streamlined, the wrong impression among some people that the party has been handed over to only a few has to be removed. We only thought that the pillars of district party secretaries strongly bearing the party building should not be corroded by termite. We discussed several times as to what to do for that. Among the 65 districts now, 31 are new districts. Only new persons will be elected as district party secretaries there. Thinking over what could be done for the other 34 districts, only for that after the filing of nominations for the election of district secretaries was over, looking for former Ministers and those who had already served as district secretaries several times among them, inviting such 18 persons in person, me, General Secretary Perasiriyar and brother Stalin spoke to them. In democratically conducted district secretaries’ election, as nobody can be prevented from contesting it was arranged for getting an assurance from those who wanted to contest for the post. In that assurance it is stated,
“According to the decision that an assurance be taken from those who file nomination for the post of district party secretary, this undertaking is taken from those candidates. Those who sign this and handover to leaders, hereby assure that they will not ask for definitely contesting the next Assembly or Parliament elections or accommodate either self or family members in the posts nominated by the President”
Only after signing this undertaking that these 18 persons are contesting in the district secretary election. Against them in some districts some others have filed nominations. Against some nobody is contesting. But as far as the party is concerned, not thinking of fielding those who were Ministers or district secretaries, undertakings have been taken from them only because they should not even think of coming as legislator or Minister again.
The elections for district secretaries for the districts of Thanjavur North, Thanjavur South, Tiruchi North, Cuddalore West and Kanyakumari East at 10 a.m. on 19.12.2014 at Anna Arivalayam, for Nagapattinam North, Nagapattinam South, Coimbatore North, Coimbatore South and Kanyakumari West at 3 p.m. at Anna Arivalayam, Pudukottai North, Pudukottai South and Madurai West at 3 p.m. on the day at Royapuram Arivagam, for Tiruvarur, Karur, Theni and Dharmapuri at 10 a.m. on 21.12.2014, for Namakkal East, Namakkal West, Coimbatore city north and Coimbatore city south at 3 p.m. at Anna Arivalayam, Tiruvannamalai North, Villupuram North, Villupuram South, Tirupur North and Tirupur South at 10 a.m. on 22.12.2014 at Anna Arivalayam, for Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli East, Tirunelveli West and Tirunelveli (Central) districts at 3 p.m. on the same day at Anna Arivalayam. I wish that in these elections, without giving room for any anti-democratic actions, it must be borne in mind that they are held only under whom the party activities are to be carried out in the particular districts for the next five years.
Those who win, without thinking that they have defeated somebody, with the mentality that those who lost the winning chance are also brothers, shake hands and come to see us and behave on Anna’s affectionate, moral and peaceful way without any grudge. Those who lost winning chance also work along with the winners, get into the good books of comrades through their works and strive for winning in the next election and not develop any ill-will.
In colleges, though students compete in different teams in sports events their minds are not affected by defeats. Only sportive feeling is exhibited. Similarly my desire is that in the democratic organisational elections, no enmity is developed they should involve with the only aim of defending the principles of the movement in united manner.
Just as we fulfilled the aim of Anna when he was with us, let this 14th party general election be useful for continuing to march forward in the task we have undertaken in democratic path bearing in mind the five great slogans of ‘we will toil tirelessly on the path of Anna; establish a society sans domination; ever oppose imposition of Hindi; averting violence overcoming poverty; federalism at the Centre, autonomy in state” and maintaining discipline.
Affectionately,
M.K.
Our party’s 14th general election have been gradually completed beginning with branch secretaries to district party secretaries, democratically and at the same time with competing sense for serving. Next, the dates for elections for district party secretaries have been announced. Our party is not the one only announcing district secretaries for respective districts in nomination method. From the founding of the party so far 13 general elections were conducted, i.e. 13th general election was conducted on December 27, 2008, and now 14th general election is being held. The DMK is not the ruling party now. But do you know to what extent there is competition among party cadre for serving the party?
In this 14th organisational election the party membership is 84,36,744. As I already wrote once, between the 13th general election and 14th general election being held now, some changes have been made in the party’s organisational set up. In particular, in the 13th party organisational election there were 36 district party units including Madurai and Coimbatore city units. These districts have now been divided into 65 district units for administrative convenience. Similarly, instead of 392 union parry units already existed now they have been split into 578 union party units. Moreover, town units- 129, area units 97, town panchayat units 538, ward units 1,12,247 are there. Among them city wards 820, town panchayat wards 8,397, town wards 3,735,panchayat wards 99,295 in 12,514 panchayats. Among them elections for panchayat wards, town wards, town panchayat wards, unions and towns have been completed. Elections are being held in city wards.
It taken at all India level, I do not know any other party than DMK properly distributing membership cards to members, and conducting elections from lower to top levels on that basis. There are chances for the rising of some problems in one or two places in elections thus held democratically and scientifically. It has come to my notice that such minor problems arose in some places in this 14th organisational elections. Those complaints could have been given due to animosity for either district party secretaries or party headquarters commissioners. Or as their faction was defeated in the election held such complaints could have been given. It is natural that contests are there in a democratic movement. That too in a great party like the DMK, it is understandable that many want to come to one position. But that contest should be held only fairly, healthily and according to democratic norms and should not be in a wrong manner irresponsibly creating animosity.
I have already reminded the moving speech of Arignar Anna at a meeting in Chennai beach on 26.9.1960-
“The DMK is not only a political party; this is a social reform movement. It is not that among all those involved in it, who should be where; it is also not important as to who should assume responsibility at what time; everyone assuming on responsibility is like the war cantonment in this movement. If enemies try to sneak in they will be crushed in between our closeness. The DMK is only an organisation for everyone to serve from one place, and if others think that there were disparities and animosities among us, it should be only said that they have not understood the history of our growth. We could eat in only one plantain leaf; it was only because womb of one mother could not bear so many children that we were not born to one mother!”
Everyone who contest in elections, winning, losing winning chance, and the party comrades who vote for them should not forget these words of Anna.
At a time when the elections for district party secretaries has been announced and arrangements for them are being made, those who contest should bear one thing in mind. That is when we faced very big defeat in the last Lok Sabha elections, one of the reasons among them as written by dailies was the behaviour of some district secretaries, that too those who were in Ministerial positions. Why, they wrote that it was because some district party secretaries running the party as their personal fiefdom. If it were other parties, without any enquiry those against whom complaints were made could be immediately removed and announced. But, is not the DMK following duty, dignity and discipline? Has it not removed autocratic method and safeguarding democracy? Hence, me, General Secretary Perasiriyar and Treasurer brother M.K.Stalin have spoken several times as to how to conduct this election. We have discussed as to how to run the DMK in future. Day and night my thinking is only how to consolidate and protect the party, how to develop and what to do for strengthening the party! If the party’s functioning has to be further streamlined, the wrong impression among some people that the party has been handed over to only a few has to be removed. We only thought that the pillars of district party secretaries strongly bearing the party building should not be corroded by termite. We discussed several times as to what to do for that. Among the 65 districts now, 31 are new districts. Only new persons will be elected as district party secretaries there. Thinking over what could be done for the other 34 districts, only for that after the filing of nominations for the election of district secretaries was over, looking for former Ministers and those who had already served as district secretaries several times among them, inviting such 18 persons in person, me, General Secretary Perasiriyar and brother Stalin spoke to them. In democratically conducted district secretaries’ election, as nobody can be prevented from contesting it was arranged for getting an assurance from those who wanted to contest for the post. In that assurance it is stated,
“According to the decision that an assurance be taken from those who file nomination for the post of district party secretary, this undertaking is taken from those candidates. Those who sign this and handover to leaders, hereby assure that they will not ask for definitely contesting the next Assembly or Parliament elections or accommodate either self or family members in the posts nominated by the President”
Only after signing this undertaking that these 18 persons are contesting in the district secretary election. Against them in some districts some others have filed nominations. Against some nobody is contesting. But as far as the party is concerned, not thinking of fielding those who were Ministers or district secretaries, undertakings have been taken from them only because they should not even think of coming as legislator or Minister again.
The elections for district secretaries for the districts of Thanjavur North, Thanjavur South, Tiruchi North, Cuddalore West and Kanyakumari East at 10 a.m. on 19.12.2014 at Anna Arivalayam, for Nagapattinam North, Nagapattinam South, Coimbatore North, Coimbatore South and Kanyakumari West at 3 p.m. at Anna Arivalayam, Pudukottai North, Pudukottai South and Madurai West at 3 p.m. on the day at Royapuram Arivagam, for Tiruvarur, Karur, Theni and Dharmapuri at 10 a.m. on 21.12.2014, for Namakkal East, Namakkal West, Coimbatore city north and Coimbatore city south at 3 p.m. at Anna Arivalayam, Tiruvannamalai North, Villupuram North, Villupuram South, Tirupur North and Tirupur South at 10 a.m. on 22.12.2014 at Anna Arivalayam, for Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli East, Tirunelveli West and Tirunelveli (Central) districts at 3 p.m. on the same day at Anna Arivalayam. I wish that in these elections, without giving room for any anti-democratic actions, it must be borne in mind that they are held only under whom the party activities are to be carried out in the particular districts for the next five years.
Those who win, without thinking that they have defeated somebody, with the mentality that those who lost the winning chance are also brothers, shake hands and come to see us and behave on Anna’s affectionate, moral and peaceful way without any grudge. Those who lost winning chance also work along with the winners, get into the good books of comrades through their works and strive for winning in the next election and not develop any ill-will.
In colleges, though students compete in different teams in sports events their minds are not affected by defeats. Only sportive feeling is exhibited. Similarly my desire is that in the democratic organisational elections, no enmity is developed they should involve with the only aim of defending the principles of the movement in united manner.
Just as we fulfilled the aim of Anna when he was with us, let this 14th party general election be useful for continuing to march forward in the task we have undertaken in democratic path bearing in mind the five great slogans of ‘we will toil tirelessly on the path of Anna; establish a society sans domination; ever oppose imposition of Hindi; averting violence overcoming poverty; federalism at the Centre, autonomy in state” and maintaining discipline.
Affectionately,
M.K.
No comments:
Post a Comment