MADURAI: M K Azhagiri, son of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, has declined on health grounds, to don the mantle of the election campaign wing manager of the DMK for the ensuing by-election from Thirumangalam constituency.
At a meeting of the party leaders at Thirumangalam on Sunday, Azhagiri proposed the name of Revenue Minister I Periyasamy to take charge of the DMK’s campaign.
Addressing the leaders, Azhagiri said that he had told Karunanidhi and his brother and Local Administration Minister M K Stalin soon after the announcement of the responsibility given to him that he would not be able to effectively function as the campaign manager because of his health condition.
He said that he had sent a letter to Karunanidhi and Stalin in this regard.
“In that letter, I had also mentioned about the eye operation that I wanted to undergo,” Azhagiri said. He said that in their reply, Karunanidhi and Stalin had told him to at least attend the party leaders’ meeting for the by-poll.
Azhagiri said that he would extend support to ensure the victory of the DMK candidate Latha Adhiyaman.
Referring to the AIADMK’s complaint against Azhagiri, Stalin said that Azhagiri can help the DMK win the election even without his physical presence.
In a complaint a few days ago, the AIADMK had urged the Election Commission to bar Azhagiri from entering the constituency as the party feared that he might engage himself in unlawful activities and cause disturbance .