MDMK chief Vaiko, who met suspended DMK leader M K Alagiri at the latter’s residence here on Sunday, told the media that he sought the latter’s support for his candidature in Virudhunagar.
According to him, Alagiri offered his good wishes and said, “you will win”. Asked if Alagiri has specifically assured of extending support, Vaiko said “This (his wishes) only means that.”
The DMK rebel had presented him a shawl. However, Vaiko refused to answer a question if Alagiri was facing the same kind of humiliation, which he had undergone in 1993.
Alagiri, who accompanied Vaiko till the gate to send him off, said, “I told him (Vaiko) that I need to consult my followers.” However, later addressing supporters at an ear-piercing ceremony organised by one of them in Rajapalayam, Alagiri disapproved of the DMK fielding industrialist Rethinavelu, who joined the party only recently, in Virudhunagar.
Noting that leaders of the BJP, Congress and many senior politicians were repeatedly urging him to back their respective candidates in the coming election, Alagiri said he would announce his decision only after consulting all the supporters.
Earlier, some DMK cadre complained to Alagiri that they were ill-treated by KKSSR Ramachandran and therefore would not work for the success of the party’s candidate in Virudhunagar.
Fallen Hero
Suspended DMK leader M K Alagiri on Sunday criticised DMK Virudhunagar secretary KKSSR Ramachandran’s style of functioning. “In 1991, when the DMK won in just one Assembly seat, we all knew at whose feet KKSSR and his family had fallen (an apparent reference to him prostrating at AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa’s feet). Now, after losing this elections, people will know at whose feet he would fall.”
Rebel’s Invitation
Meanwhile, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, who sprung a surprise on Sunday by calling on DMK suspended leader M K Alagiri in Madurai, said he had come there on the latter’s invitation.