Alagiri factor continues to haunt DMK in southern TN

, Apr 18: The rumblings within DMK that rocked the party after dismissal of M K

, its South Zone Secretary seems far from over, as the 63-year-old leader continues to pledge to rout it in the April 24 polls.

Alagiri's voice of dissidence, amidst the full swing electioneering by other political parties in Tamil Nadu, cannot be ignored as the leader addresses supporters in various parts of the state and openly pronounces his anti-DMK stance, much to the chagrin of his father M Karunanidhi.

Alleging that most DMK candidates were choices and loyalists of his younger brother M K Stalin, Alagiri has been exhorting his supporters to ensure that they finish fourth in the polls.

The former Union Minister, who was expelled on March 25, is believed to have intentionally kept away when Karunanidhi was in Madurai for campaigning last weekend and, on multiple instances, has openly called on his supporters to ensure that DMK candidates get the fourth place.

While DMK is getting itself together after its defeat at the hands of AIADMK in 2011 Assembly polls, it can ill afford to have a tone of dissidence from someone who has been the face of the party beyond Madurai in South Tamil Nadu.

While Alagiri has been alleging that the DMK high command was giving tickets on the basis of money paid, it is believed his act of defiance is mainly a symptom of the ongoing sibling rivalry with younger brother and party treasurer Stalin.

"There are so many party loyalists in the (Tirunelveli) district. This man is unknown among party workers, yet he has been chosen. Only if we defeat him and ensure DMK finishes third in the poll can we prove we are the real party cadres," Alagiri had said in Tirunelveli on Sunday.

PTI