DMK warns workers of punitive action if they contact estranged son of party chief
The rift in the Karunanidhi family worsened on Wednesday with the DMK formally warning its workers of punitive action if they maintained any contact with MK Alagiri, the Madurai-based estranged son of party chief M Karunanidhi.
The statement issued by K Anbazhagan, the nonagenarian party general secretary, warned party men not to have any kind of contact with Alagiri, who is engaged in a power tussle with his younger brother Stalin.
“Alagiri, who has been suspended from the party early this year on disciplinary grounds, is creating confusion by holding meetings with his supporters. Party workers are hereby warned not to have any kind of links with Alagiri,” said the stern letter.
However, the DMK patriarch’s son maintained he had never worked against the party. While speaking to reporters at Madurai, Alagiri charged Stalin, the chosen heir of Karunanidhi, of hijacking the party apparatus and blackmailing their father. He said the DMK would finish a poor third in the lok Sabha elections because it was ignoring and sidelining long-time party loyalists and fielding moneybags as party candidates.
Alagiri has been suspended from the party for “questioning” Karunanidhi about the disciplinary action taken against some of the former’s loyalists in Madurai. What upset Karunanidhi most at that time was Alagiri’s outburst against Stalin.
He reportedly told Karunanidhi that Stalin would die within three months. The DMK chief suddenly summoned Stalin and an ailing Anbazhagan and demanded immediate suspension of Alagiri from the party.
Interestingly, Karunanidhi has decided to lock horns with his elder son at the latter’s home turf itself. Karunanidhi, who has been confined to a wheelchair, is travelling all the way to Madurai early next month to address an election rally. Party leaders have been asked to mobilize the entire cadre from the southern districts for the rally to send a message to Alagiri that his writ does not run anymore.
Within minutes of the release of Anbazhagan’s warning letter to the party cadre, Alagiri was all praises for Narendra Modi on a national TV news channel. “Narendra Modi has been re-elected as Chief Minister by the people of Gujarat many times because of the good work he has done. The massive crowd which turned out for his Chennai rally itself is an indication of his popularity,” he said.
Alagiri said he fully endorses Modi’s bid for the prime ministership of the country. “More than anything, the youngsters in the country see a saviour in Narendra Modi. It is the most important factor,” he said.
Alagiri said he does not see any prospects for the DMK in the lok Sabha elections. “There is massive irregularity in the selection of candidates. Most candidates have been selected because of their money power. Party workers with long track records have been sidelined and ignored. This will reflect in the election results.”
He also questioned the logic behind fielding A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, both accused in the 2G spectrum scam. “The DMK suffered a rout in the 2011 Assembly election because of Raja and the 2G spectrum scam. How can we re-nominate such personsIJ” he asked.
The last three days saw Alagiri interacting with ordinary party workers from Madurai district. The next three days will see him touring districts like Thanjavur, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari to meet his followers. “Anja nenjan (Braveheart, as Alagiri is addressed by his followers) is asking groups of party workers who come to meet him about the next course of action. All of them told him to teach the DMK leadership a lesson which they would never forget,” a close associate of Alagiri told The Pioneer.