Will Accept Stalin’s Leadership If Readmitted to Party: Alagiri

Former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader, MK Alagiri and DMK President MK Stalin.

(Photo: Altered by Arnica Kala/The Quint)

On 5 September, MK Alagiri is planning a massive rally with an intent to prove that the cadre of DMK still support him. But while the ousted leader has been demanding that he be brought back into the party, on Thursday 30 August, he clarified that he is not looking to lead the DMK. In fact, he said that he is willing to accept his brother MK Stalin’s recently confirmed presidency of the DMK, too.

The former South Zone Organising Secretary of the DMK was speaking to media persons after addressing his supporters in Madurai on Thursday. “Didn’t I tell you that day at Kalaignar’s samadhi – the true supporters of Kalaignar are on my side,” he said.

Insisting that at least a lakh people will attend his 5 September rally, Alagiri said that he was ready to work with Stalin and others in the party. “We are ready. That’s what we have been saying. They’re the ones who are not ready to take us in,” he said.

“We want to join the party. They don’t want to take us in. We’ll take a decision on what to do next after the rally,” Alagiri said.

When one reporter pointed out that MK Stalin was unanimously elected president of the party by the General Council, Alagiri shot back, “The General Council alone is not the DMK. The General Council may select the president or the treasurer. Don’t 1,500 people make up DMK? The cadres are on my side. After 5 September, more people will join us.”

To another question on whether he’s ready to accept Stalin as the leader of the party if he was taken back, Alagiri said, “If I want to join the party, I have to accept him as the leader right?”

Alagiri also denied that his son Dhayanidhi Alagiri had asked for a post within the party. “Hasn’t he himself clarified? Neither his father, nor he have any such wishes,” Alagiri said.

Alagiri’s statement at Karunanidhi’s memorial on 13 August raised questions on his possible readmission into the party, even as the decks were cleared for Stalin to take over as president. Alagiri was ousted from the party in 2014 for violating party discipline.

(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)