Even while M.K. Stalin is emerging as future leader of the DMK, his elder brother M.K. Alagiri made it clear that he would not accept anyone except his father and party chief M. Karunanidhi as his leader.
“Even if Kalaignar asks me to do so, I will not accept anyone as my leader. My father himself has said in the past that I am very adamant and firm on my stand,” he said in an interview to ‘Puthia Thalaimurai,’ a Tamil TV channel.
Asked about Mr. Karunanidhi’s remarks that given an opportunity he would propose M.K. Stalin’s name for the leadership of the party, Mr. Alagiri said it could be his opinion.
Mr. Alagiri, who is also the DMK’s south zone organising secretary, said he was totally sidelined in the party by people who could not digest his growth in the organisation. He said even after he made representation to the party high command, the situation did not improve.
“I never wanted any post in the party. I was made the south zone organising secretary after I won three by-elections for the party. Now I am sidelined and decisions are taken without my knowledge,” he said explaining the reason behind boycotting the party’s general council.
Mr. Alagiri revealed that he was not informed about the DMK’s decision to quit the Congress-led UPA and came to know about it only through media.
“I know three senior Congress Ministers came to Chennai to hold discussions. I was in Parliament when the party took the decision. I came to know about it only the next day,” he said.
Mr. Alagiri was highly critical of DMDK leader Vijayakant, saying he never considered him as a political leader.
“He lacks political decency,” he said recalling the remarks made by Mr Vijayakant in the run-up to the 2011 Assembly elections.
He was of the firm view that if the DMK and its existing allies worked in unison, they would win the elections. Mr. Alagiri, however, stressed the need for working effectively in the field as the party remained divided in many parts of the State.
