Alagiri stays out of election, alleges DMK doesn't know how to use him

Chennai, May 14: DMK Supremo M Karunanidhi's eldest son M K Alagiri has lots of complaints and is away from the election spotlight this year. When M K Stalin was seen campaigning across the state, he was seen spending time with his family.

On asking him about the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, he says, "I have no opinion". And then emphasizing his indifference, he said, "I will not vote for any party this time."

Meanwhile, Karunanidhi has made it clear that he would be the Chief Minister should the DMK come to power. He further added, "If he (Stalin) has to get a chance, nature has to do something to me."

The tension was running in the family since 1980 when Karunanidhi sent Alagiri to Madurai, to look after the party and to run Morasoli, the DMK mouthpiece. "It has been three years... at least two-and-half years." He hasn't spoken to his half-sister Kanimozhi in almost three years.

He is indifferent to the party's chances in Madurai and expressing his disappointment, he said, "They (DMK) don't know how to use me. I am not interested in this kind of politics." How many seats, the DMK will win in Madurai's 10 constituencies? "None".

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Alagiri was once in the news for all the wrong reasons, giving a chance to J Jayalalitha to pitch her eligibility over the DMK. She had once said, "This is the chance for the common man to punish the DMK for scams, kangaroo courts and rowdyism. If not now, when," urging the voters to bring back the "rule of law" in Madurai.

Mafia leaders like 'Pottu' Suresh, 'Attack' Pandi, 'Karate' Pandian thrived under his leadership. He was also named as an accused in the murder of Pasumpon' T Kiruttinan, a former DMK minister close to Stalin, but was acquitted in 2007.

Alagiri's absence from the election scene has affected his followers a lot. Hesitant to back him openly, one of them said:

"We can't be seen supporting him openly. Also, who knows, one day he will settle all the issues with his family and we will be thrown out of the party. So we meet him, but keep a low profile. When Alagiri was in power, he misused it. He was indifferent to people, he was erratic in his work, he rarely turned up in Parliament when he was MP and union minister. But he is also a generous man who helps poor people and supports their children's education. Everyday, some 100 people visit him at his home."

[Read: BJP hits out at DMK, AIADMK for 'freebie culture' in TN ]

Amid a very calm demeanour, reports state otherwise. Many of his loyalists say that they are working to defeat two candidates this elections- P D R B Thiyakarasan of Madurai Central constituency and K Thalapathi of Madurai West, both considered close to Stalin.

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