Hours after DMK president M Karunanidhi announced the dismissal of his rebellious second son M K Alagiri from the party on Tuesday the latter declared that he would legally challenge the decision.
Accusing the leadership of having acted unilaterally without giving specific reasons or an opportunity to defend, the Dravidian party’s ousted southern satrap said, “I and my followers will always remain a part of the DMK. All of us had contributed to the party’s growth. Anna Arivayalam (the party headquarters) was constructed with my hard work too. I will legally challenge my expulsion.”
Alagiri claimed that his father had not consciously taken the decision to expel him.
“He has been influenced and pressured by two persons — an insider and his friend (speculated to be a reference to younger brother M K Stalin and Dravidar Kazhagam leader K Veeramani). The truth will be out soon,” he told journalists at his Sathya Sai Nagar residence on Tuesday evening.
Appearing to be composed, Alagiri maintained that he would continue to tour the State to meet his supporters as usual.
Asked if his expulsion was triggered by his meeting MDMK leader Vaiko, Alagiri shot back: “Even ‘Kalaignar’ (Karunanidhi) had met Vaiko at the special court in Poonamallee in Chennai when he was jailed under POTA.” The former Union Minister said that Vaiko had wanted to meet him. “How could I say ‘no’? He sought my support for his candidature in Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency. I merely said that I would consider it,” he added.
Stating that he was unaware why he was expelled from the DMK, he said, “I had merely pointed out certain flaws in the selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha election and district secretaries. Is there any rule saying that one should not underline such flaws?” The party was yet to respond to the charges leveled by him. He wondered if this meant an admission by the leadership that his charges were true. Denying that he was on a collision course with the leadership, he said, “I had even prepared to apologise. Indeed, I had mentioned that there is nothing wrong in a son offering apology to his father.”
He added that the party had not served any notice on him, both when he was suspended in January and now. “Let them prove that the notice was served,”” he challenged. Alagiri also scoffed at rumours that he and his half-sister Kanimozhi were trying to capture control of the DMK.