nTill Sunday morning Anna Arivalayam, the headquarters of the DMK in Chennai’s Mount Road looked like a beehive of activities. But by evening the ambience in the party office has given way to a sense of uncertainty. What shocked the party leadership and cadre was the announcement from Madurai.
M K Alagiri, the Madurai based son of late M Karunanidhi, the former Chief Minister who was also the party chief for nearly five decades delivered a powerful blow to the chief ministerial dreams of M K Stalin, the reigning president of the party who is also the younger brother of the former.
“Stalin can never become the chief minister of Tamil Nadu without my support. My supporters will never let Stalin become the chief minister,” Alagiri declared while addressing his followers in a public meeting. The DMK leadership has not responded to Alagiri's salvo till Monday evening.
Alagiri, who was the organising secretary of the DMK for the southern districts of the State was expelled from the primary membership of the party allegedly for anti-party activities. “Till this day I have not been told the reason for my expulsion from the party. It was a conspiracy hatched by certain leaders in the party in order to appease Stalin,” said Alagiri.
Alagiri, who was the union minister for fertilisers and chemicals during 2009 to 2013 in the second UPA Government, has been lying low since 2013 after his expulsion from the party. He did not campaign actively for the party in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the DMK was obliterated in the hustings. The DMK could not win against the AIADMK in the 2016 assembly election despite the anti-incumbency factor. This is being seen as the fall out of Alagiri’s non-cooperation with the party leadership.
Political commentators point out that whenever Alagiri had been antagonised by the party leadership, the DMK was mauled in the polls. “He is a force to reckon with in southern Tamil Nadu and the DMK can never afford to ignore him,” said a political commentator in Chennai.
Bhanumathi Swaminathan, a former banker with a leading corporate bank said Alagiri is capable of spoiling the prospects of the DMK.
“He has been portrayed as a rough and arrogant person which is a blatant lie. Alagiri is a nice and jovial person. Since he worships in temples, the Dravidian media had created a notion that he is power hungry and incapable. Having known him for years, I can say that he is respected and loved by thousands,” said Bhnumathy.
She pointed out how Alagiri singlehandedly ensured the defeat of many DMK bigwigs in the 2001 election despite a favourable situation. “All Karunanidhi had to do was to accommodate five or six persons recommended by Alagiri as candidates. Stalin vetoed Alagiri’s request for which the DMK had to pay heavy price,” she said.
There are reports that Alagiri may launch a separate party and form a front with like minded parties. “He has friends in all parties in the State who are always willing to help him,” said a long time associate.
