‘No Agenda for Rally’: Alagiri After Paying Respects to Kalaignar

Alagiri takes out 5,000 strong rally at the Marina to pay respects at Karunanidhi’s memorial.

MK Alagiri, the former DMK Cabinet minister and son of the late founder of the party, Karunanidhi has taken out a ‘peace rally’ to mourn the death of his father M Karunanidhi from Triplicane police station to the site of Karunanidhi’s memorial. Over 8,000 people had gathered from various constituencies across the state.

After paying his respects to M Karunanidhi at the memorial, he spoke to the press;

Thanks to the people, media and the police for helping me conduct this peace rally. There is no other reason for this rally than to offer my respects to my father. 

MK Alagiri, at Karunanidhi’s memorial

On being asked if he would be reinstated into the party, and what he thought of the ouster, he had this to say:

There are over 1.5 lakh people who have come here in support of me. Will the party send them out as well?

MK Alagiri, at Karunanidhi’s memorial

Alagiri had promised to take out a ‘peace rally’ to mourn the death of his father two days ago. On 13th August, Alagiri also warned of dire consequences if he were not reinstated into the DMK and said:

All of Kalaignar’s “true” loyalists and supporters are by my side, supporting me. Therefore, all I want to say is that time will tell the reasons for this.

M K Alagiri, 13th August

The ‘peace rally’ could well be a show of strength, to force the DMK into reinstating him into the party. He has a large, loyal following across Madurai and neighboring districts, and will likely split the DMK’s votes, if he were to stand as an individual candidate.

While Karunanidhi never professed open support for either Alagiri or Stalin, he did have an obvious hand in shaping the latter's career. Shortly before Alagiri's removal from the party in 2014, Karunanidhi announced M K Stalin as his political heir. This announcement remained unquestioned until Karunanidhi's death.