Taking his fight against the party and his younger sibling M K Stalin to the next level, the suspended south zone organising secretary of the DMK, M K Alagiri, has decided to tour length and breadth of the state to consolidate his loyalists from Sunday (March 23).
According to his loyalists, this support mobilising show of the Madurai strongman will culminate at Kolathur in Chennai during the second week of April.
Faizwaan, a loyalist, who is organising a meeting for Alagiri at Thanjavur, said, “the reason for choosing Kolathur in Chennai as the final and climax point is that it is the constituency that is being represented by DMK treasurer M K Stalin at present and also to prove that Alagiri’s support base is not confined just to southern part of Tamil Nadu alone.”
Former DMK South Chennai district secretary V S Babu will play a key role in making arrangements for the meeting at Chennai in which nearly 30,000 supporters from Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore and North and South Chennai will be participating.
Succumbing to the pressure from Stalin camp, the high command has issued a order threatening disciplinary action against those who maintain contacts with Alagiri. “The support base for Alagiri has increased in northern and Central districts mainly because he champions the cause of grassroot workers. Such warnings cannot be deterrent on us,” said a few loyalists based in Thanjavur.
Hours after party general secretary K Anbazhagan issued the order, Alagiri dialled his loyalists and informed them to organise consultative meetings at the earliest. Explaining his tour schedule, close aides said on Sunday Alagiri will participate in an ear piercing ceremony at Rajapalyam in Virudhunagar Next on March 26, he will attend a domestic function of a party cadre at Mudukulathur. Ramanathapuram DMK MP J K Rithesh said that supporters were making elaborate arrangements for the meetings.
“At the Thanjavur meeting fixed for March 27, over 10,000 cadre from the delta districts of Tiruchy, Nagapattinam, Ariyalur and Perambalur will participate. The number is likely to go up as many sulking cadres upset with the choice of TR Baalu may also join the show in Thanjavur,” said Faizwaan.
Ammapattinam DMK panchayat president Ansari said that similar meetings have been planned at Pudukottai on April 6.