Karunanidhi's elder son M K Alagiri to start new political party, join BJP-led alliance: Reports

Alagiri is expected to meet Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss an alliance, say reports

Ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls due May 2021, DMK founder late Muthuvel Karunanidhi’s son M K Alagiri is mulling floating a new political party as his younger sibling, M K Stalin, is eyeing the Chief Minister’s seat, according to a report by NDTV.

“I am holding talks with my supporters. We are discussing if we have to launch our own party or should we just declare our support to a party,” the politician told the publication. Brushing aside rumours of him supporting the BJP, he said, “Those are cooked up stories. No one from the BJP has spoken to me. Why would the Home Minister meet me?”

Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Chennai on November 21, when he is expected to guide the state’s BJP wing on a strategy to contest in the Assembly polls.

A DMK source told the website that they were “not perturbed” about the possibility of Alagiri meeting Amit Shah.

According to a report by The Indian Express, BJP and Alagiri have been in talks for a while. “Talks have been happening for long. It would be a strong reply to M K Stalin who sidelined his elder brother in the party and the family. And for Alagiri, it is an opportunity… may be the last opportunity. His business may face more troubles if the DMK wins the Assembly polls,” a source told the website.

Alagiri’s new political party may be called ‘Kalaignar DMK’ or ‘KDMK,’ as per the report.

“If there is no change in Shah’s planned visit to Chennai, the idea is to announce the new party in Madurai in the presence of about 100-200 close aides of Alagiri. And Alagiri may be meeting Shah the next day,” a source told the website.

DMK has witnessed sibling rivalry between Stalin and Alagiri for about two decades now as Karunanidhi actively groomed the younger brother, Stalin to be his political heir with at one point in time even appointing him as Deputy Chief Minister.

Stalin headed the youth wing of DMK for several years before being appointed Treasurer of the party, as Karunanidhi’s health deteriorated, Stalin was given the post of Executive President. After the patriarch died, Stalin became the party president.