JOIN USIrked over repeated criticism against the party’s senior leaders from his eldest son, M K Alagiri, DMK president M Karunanidhi on Tuesday dismissed him from the organisation.
Alagiri had been suspended from the party in January for anti-party activities.
Karunanidhi, however, said the decision to expel Alagiri was taken because the former party south zone secretary failed to reply to a notice seeking an explanation to his actions which had led to his suspension on January 24.
“So, I and DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan have decided to permanently dismiss him from the party,” said Karunanidhi.
The 89-year-old leader, outlining the reasons for taking the drastic step, said, “He (Alagiri) had been suspended and his explanation was sought but did not reply. He was further criticising DMK and its leaders,” he said from a car in which his younger son M K Stalin sat next to him.
Karunanidhi's move to expel Alagiri took final shape after his bitter rival and MDMK leader Vaiko, who has aligned with BJP-led NDA, met Alagiri seeking his support for his Virudhunagar Lok Sabha candidature. Even candidates of the BJP and the Congress called on Alagiri for support in the polls.
“I am not the loser. They are the one (sic),” said Alagiri, immediately after his dismissal.
On his future plans to form a new party, he said “As of now I have no such plans.
Everything will be decided after discussing with my supporters.”
Since his suspension, Alagiri, who has been toying with the idea of floating a new party, was highly critical of the DMK and also questioned the credentials of candidates selected to contest the Lok Sabha polls.
None of his loyalists were given tickets for the Lok Sabha polls. His supporters also put up posters in Madurai announcing the launch of a new party called ‘Kalaignar DMK’.
After the electoral picture became clear with several parties finalising their poll alliances, several candidates, including Vaiko and those from the BJP and the Left, met Alagiri for his support because he wields enormous clout in Tamil Nadu’s southern districts.
In a series of recent uncharacteristic moves, Alagiri called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and meet with other top leaders.
Later he hailed the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi by describing him an able administrator. He had said he would welcome Modi as the prime minister.
This is the second time DMK has cracked the whip against Alagiri.
The first was in September 2000 when he was ostracised for "anti-party" activities. Party workers were asked not to have any contact with him. The move triggered violence in Madurai, his bastion.
However, after the party's severe drubbing in the 2001 Assembly polls, Alagiri was rehabilitated.