Senior DMK leader Duraimurugan has quit as its Treasurer to contest for the post of General Secretary, party chief M K Stalin said on Monday.
The general secretary's post, the next after DMK President in the party hierarchy, is lying vacant following the death of K Anbazhagan who held it for 43 years.
Anbazhagan (97), a close confidant of former Chief Minister, the late M Karunanidhi, died on March 7 following a brief illness.
Stalin had on Sunday announced that the party's highest decision making body, the General Council, will meet on March 29 to elect Anbazhagan's successor.
On Monday, Stalin said Duraimurugan has informed him through a letter, his willingness to contest for the general secretary's post and has therefore quit as the DMK treasurer.
Subsequently, the March 29 general council will elect both a general secretary and treasurer, Stalin said and urged that all the members should attend without fail.