Durai Vaiko, son of MDMK founder Vaiko and a senior leader in the party, announced on Saturday, April 19, that he would step down as principal secretary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).
He said that a partyworker who has not been able to accept him as the leader for the last four years has therefore been tarnishing the party’s name and defaming his father and the party’s founder Vaiko. “I do not want to continue serving as the party's principal secretary, amidst someone who is taking pleasure in defaming the party and its founder. Therefore, I am stepping down from the position,” Durai Vaiko said in a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter).
https://x.com/duraivaikooffl/status/1913478843828240814?t=iwfSiSf1QEeGYz6Gprr7Tg&s=08
Durai also said that he will refrain from participating in committee meetings going forward and that the meeting scheduled for Sunday, April 20, will mark his final participation.
“The people of Trichy constituency have sent me to Parliament as their representative and I will serve as their MP with all my heart. I also declare that I will support the movement's volunteers and administrators and be a part of their joys and sorrows.”
“I urge the key executives of the organisation to continue the efforts I have made over the past seven years. I urge them to protect our leader in any situation and to not disappoint him.” he said.
It may be noted that the MDMK was founded by Vaiko (A) Vaiyapuri Gopalsamy in 1994, after he broke away from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). MDMK was founded as an anti-dynasty party, since Vaiko had objected to late DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s decision to promote his son MK Stalin as his political heir and successor.
Due to his ill health in 2021, Vaiko conducted an executive committee meeting to select the next secretary for MDMK. According to reports, his son Durai Vaiko won 104 of the 106 votes and was announced as the party’s principal secretary.