Alagiri’s supporters to celebrate his birthday on Jan.30

MADURAI: Former Union Minister M.K. Alagiri’s supporters are planning to distribute welfare assistance to the needy and organise blood donation camps on his birthday on January 30 in a few southern districts and in Tiruchi district.

Speaking to The Hindu they said that every year irrespective of whether Mr. Alagiri was holding any position in government or in the party, it had been a practice to distribute kits like sewing machine, saris, dhoti for the needy.

After the DMK expelled him from the party, along with his supporters including former Deputy Mayor P.M. Mannan, former MLA Ghouse Batcha and others, they continued to celebrate Mr. Alagiri’s birthday.

Last year, Mr. Alagiri’s son Durai Dayanidhi inaugurated a cricket tourney among the youths in Madurai city and presided over a blood donation camp.

This year, the supporters from Madurai, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Theni and Tiruchi districts have planned to celebrate the birthday and booked private kalyana mandapams. They have already pasted posters in many locations in the city and peripheries hailing him as the saviour and the future, apparently, referring to the DMK.

In Madurai, the celebrations are planned at Mr. Alagiri’s family-owned kalyana mandapam.

Mr. Alagiri had recently expressed to The Hindu correspondent that he would not endorse any fanfare by his supporters as his father and DMK president M. Karunanidhi had not celebrated his birthday on June 3 last, citing the prevailing drought scenario in Tamil Nadu.