Alagiri won’t form new party, but praises both Jaya and Modi

Alagiri alleged Stalin was selling party tickets to moneybags, said Jayalalithaa was keeping discipline in her party, acknowledged there is a Modi wave.

Dissident DMK leader M K Alagiri, the rebellious elder son of party president M Karunanidhi, Monday ruled out launching a new political outfit as speculated but not before launching a stinging attack on his younger brother and rival, M K Stalin, complimenting Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and saying he would welcome Narendra Modi as the next Prime Minister.

Alagiri alleged Stalin was selling party tickets to moneybags, said Jayalalithaa was keeping the discipline in her party and acknowledged there is a wave in favour of Modi and that he would welcome him as the next PM based on his good performance as the chief minister of Gujarat.

Alagiri’s clarification on a new party, which came as posters appeared in his stronghold of Madurai proclaiming the advent of ‘Kalaignar DMK’, would offer relief to the DMK leadership that is jittery about a full-blown rebellion in the ranks ahead of a tightly-fought general election.
However, even as he absolved Karunanidhi for the present situation of the party and ruled out a split, Alagiri was scathing in his criticism of Stalin and his faction without naming anyone.

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“The DMK is no longer in Karunanidhi’s control. He is now in some crisis situation, and saving him and the party from it should be our first priority,” Alagiri told supporters who attended the meeting he convened in Madurai.

“It is evident that the DMK candidates were decided after collecting money. Those who have been working for the party have been ignored in favour of unknown persons who got paid seats. All 35 candidates should be changed,” he said, adding that Karunanidhi himself had said there could be some changes in the Lok Sabha candidates’ list.

Although suspended from the party on disciplinary grounds, the former south zone convenor of the DMK, former union minister and MP from Madurai still has influence among the cadre in south Tamil Nadu.

Stalin has managed to win over the allegiance of a good number of second-rung leaders from the region who swore by Alagiri until recently. But the elder son’s capability to hurt the party in a tight election cannot be underestimated. He displayed that ability in the Assembly election of 2001 when his men worked against party candidates which led to the DMK’s defeat.

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Alagiri admitted that the present crisis was precipitated by party cadre who had put up posters “out of love for him”, which led to the confrontation with the dominant faction led by Stalin.

In what is seen as a comment made to irritate the leadership, he complimented Jayalalithaa, with whom he has no love lost, for maintaining tight discipline within her party. “That is not the case with the DMK,” he said.

Later, speaking to a news channel, Alagiri said there was a Modi wave in the country ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. “He is a good administrator. I will welcome if he becomes the Prime Minister,” he said, amid reports that he met BJP president Rajnath Singh.