Suspended DMK leader M K Alagiri on Monday urged his supporters to rescue party chief M Karunanidhi from a group which he claimed has been misguiding the party patriarch.
“A group of people, who are interested only in making money and are ignoring the party’s interests, have been deceiving our thalaivar. If we want to save the DMK, we need to protect him,” said an emotionally charged Alagiri, while explaining his position to his supporters at a meeting held at the Dhaya Marriage Hall here.
The meeting was held in the backdrop of Alagiri and his supporters being denied tickets to contest the Lok Sabha polls and amid speculation that he might part ways with the DMK.
“Various political leaders, including BJP’s Rajnath Singh and MDMK leader Vaiko, have been asking me to extend my support for them in the Lok Sabha election, but I told them clearly that I first need to consult my supporters,” said Alagiri.
“Hence, I am here before you to listen to your opinions to decide our next course of action. The high command has dismissed me and many of my loyalists because I raised the issue of irregularities in local body elections which was brought to my notice by my supporters,” he said.
The Madurai-based leader also praised AIADMK chief and Chief Minister
J Jayalalithaa for changing the party’s district secretaries if they didn’t do their work properly. “I appreciate that. That is one reason why AIADMK is united and disciplined. There is a command system. There is no such system in the DMK,” he said.
Later when he spoke to a television channel, he said he would welcome Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister. “There is a Modi wave,” he added.