MK Alagiri, former Union Minister and elder son of DMK chief M Karunanidhi is annoyed and upset with the party leadership (read MK Stalin, his younger brother) and in all probability emerge as the game changer in the May 16 election to the Assembly. Alagiri who was in Chennai on Tuesday to attend a marriage function was curt with reporters who approached him at the airport for a voice bite.
When he was asked about his stance in the May 16 election, Alagiri said; “I am not going to support anyone”. To repeated questions from the mediapersons, the Madurai based Alagiri told; “Go and ask the person who said I have no links with the party”. The stance of Alagiri is likely to aggravate the problems faced by the DMK, which is experiencing revolt by the cadre in many places in Tamil Nadu over the selection of the party candidates.
The Madurai strongman, who literally built the DMK from scratch in southern Tamil Nadu is upset over the reported comments made by MK Stalin to reporters when the former called on papa Karunanidhi on Thursday to greet him on Tamil New Year. Stalin, who had rushed to the Gopalapuram residence of Karunanidhi on hearing the news that his elder brother was calling on Karunanidhi told journalists that there was nothing “official” in the meeting and asked them not to mix DMK affairs with Alagiri.
It is reported that Alagiri, during his meeting with Karunanidhi, informed the latter about his unhappiness over the selection of candidates for the assembly election. Alagiri had told a Tamil weekly that those who worked for the growth of the party had been totally side-lined and overlooked during the selection of candidates. It is an open secret in Chennai that the list of candidates was prepared by Stalin, his wife Santha Durga and son-in-law Sabari.
One of the reasons for the obliteration of the DMK in the 2014 lok Sabha election was the absence of Alagiri in the field . He is known to command considerable influence in southern districts. The DMK had lost the 2001 assembly election because it had rubbed Anjanenjan( as Alagiri is addressed by the cadre) the wrong way. Alagiri was expelled from the party at the instance of Stalin, who becomes meek and weak in the presence of Alagiri. The latter is known for his bold decisions and independent style of thinking. Stalin fears that Alagiri is the main hindrance to him being anointed as the chief minister and party president. Though Stalin has been pleading with Karunanidhi for appointing him as the party president, Karunanidhi feels that time is not yet ripe for the coronation.