A day after being expelled from the DMK, Madurai strongman M K Alagiri today said he will not contest the Lok Sabha polls and targeted his younger brother M.K Stalin, saying action should be taken against those who commit “mistakes”.
Sticking to his stand, Alagiri said he had not committed any wrongdoing that warranted his expulsion from DMK.
Alagiri, who was sacked by his father and DMK chief M Karunandhi yesterday, said he would not contest the coming elections and predicted a bad show for DMK in the hustings, saying it may not win more than a couple of seats.
Speaking to the press at the airport here, a sulking Alagiri said, “I didn’t do any crime. I won’t relent till action is taken against those who had committed mistakes,” obviously targeting Stalin.
The Southern party strongman, who wields considerable influence over DMK cadres and has the capability to derail the party’s prospects, also questioned the charges against him for MDMK chief Vaiko’s visit to his residence two days ago.
“I did not invite Vaiko to my house. If someone comes to my house, what can I do?” he asked.
Alagiri, who has been denied a ticket, said he would not contest the coming elections.
Aggrieved by actions of Alagiri, whom candidates from Congress, BJP, DMK and MDMK had met seeking support for the April 24 Lok Sabha elections and some of his comments on the party’s bleak electoral prospects, Karunanidhi had dismissed his son from the party.
Asked whether he still enjoyed support from partymen in the aftermath of his expulsion, Alagiri pointed to the crowd that had thronged at the airport to receive him, which included supporters like Ramanathapuram MP J K Rithieesh, and remarked “this indicates my strong support base”.
Asked if he would visit the party headquarters ‘Anna Arivalayam’, he merely said he was going to Arani to meet some supporters.
Asked about Stalin possibly leading the party in the future, the former Union Minister said he was not bothered about it.
Alagiri was suspended in January for alleged indiscipline following his contradicting stand on his father’s preference for an alliance with actor-politician Vijayakant’s DMDK, even as there was a running feud with Stalin, considered the political heir apparent of the DMK chief.
The very issue of leadership has been a bone of contention between the two brothers, with Karunanidhi favouring Stalin to take the mantle, which was questioned by Alagiri, who had once famously asked if the party was a “mutt” where the senior pontiff could anoint a successor.