The electoral fate of DMK candidate from Madurai Parliamentary constituency V Velusamy will be known only after the outcome of a ‘closed-door’ meeting MK Alagiri will be having with his supporters on Sunday, said loyalists of the former Union Minister.
Expressing anguish over the selection of DMK candidates for the Lok Sabha election, Alagiri on Wednesday had called his supporters for an ‘emergency’ meeting at Dhaya marriage hall on March 16 to decide the next course of action.
“We expect that he will take a major decision on the campaign for DMK candidates during the meeting,” a source close to Alagiri told Express.
Velusamy’s winning prospects are said to be entirely based on what ‘Anjanenjan’ decides in the meeting as the former Union Minister still holds sway over the Southern district despite the party high command replacing his supporters in the Madurai Urban Committee with Stalin loyalists.
“The frenzied crowd during Alagiri’s birthday bash is testimony to the strong support base he has,” claimed his supporters.
Madurai parliamentary constituency comprises Madurai North, Madurai West, Madurai Central, Madurai East, Madurai South and Melur assembly segments. “Except for Melur, we have strong support among urban and semi-urban people in the other five constituencies,” said his loyalists.
Moreover, the 10 DMK councillors in the Madurai Corporation are Alagiri supporters, who know the pulse of the voters. The high command has fielded Velusamy despite knowing that he is not in good terms with Alagiri since 2000, they fumed.
“When Velusamy represented Madurai East Assembly constituency between 1996 and 2001, Alagiri made him the urban district secretary in 1998. However, he and P Kulandaivelu, the then Mayor, switched their loyalties to Stalin. He acted on Stalin’s directions and filled all local party posts in 73 wards of the Corporation and the 13 DMK wings in Madurai with people of his choice,” claimed an Alagiri supporter.
However, Velusamy disappointed his supporters and approached Alagiri for the deputy Mayor election the next year. “We can’t trust him. He has cheated our leader,” said the supporters.
Senior DMK functionaries, though, had a different view. They said Velusamy was a seasoned politician and had served in various party positions. “Unlike other leaders, he mingles well even with grassroots party workers and listens to their personal grievances,” said a functionary.
“If Alagiri loyalists have four supporters in a ward, around 40 people in the same ward will be against him because of their unruly behaviour. Velusamy has never involved in any anti-people activity,” said a senior DMK functionary.
Meanwhile, Velusamy has commenced his election work by meeting senior leaders of allied parties and DMK functionaries in the last two days.
In an obvious admission of the suspended DMK South Zone secretary MK Alagiri’s clout in Madurai, Velusamy said he would meet the party strongman personally to seek his support.
Velusamy, who launched his election campaign at Tallakulam Perumal Temple ground on Wednesday told reporters that when he served as an MLA between 1996 and 2001, he implemented various development schemes for Madurai city.
Listing the development schemes implemented by the DMK, Velusamy said Mattuthavani integrated bus terminus, central market, flower market trade centre, and Sellur over bridge were built during DMK regime.
Velusamy would campaign highlighting the achievements of DMK during the previous regime. Earlier, he garlanded the statues of various leaders including Periyar, Dr Ambedkar and Kamaraj, Annadurai suspended DMk leader may Meet manmohan singh today
Madurai: Suspended DMK leader M K Alagiri is likely to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Thursday, according to his close aides. The proposed meeting assumes significance considering that Alagiri has been sulking over the suspension of his supporters and openly criticised the DMK’s distribution of Lok Sabha tickets to rank outsiders. Though the purpose ofhis meeting is not clear, the remote possibility of Alagiri backing the friendless Congress in the elections cannot be ruled out. “Yes our leader is going to New Delhi via Hyderabad to meet the Prime Minister on Thursday. He will return to Madurai on Friday,” a close aide said on Wednesday night.