Alagiri downplays Stalin’s role, says father will be next CM

CHENNAI: Weeks after his father and DMK chief M Karunanidhi named his younger brother M K Stalin as his political heir, the estranged leader and former Union minister M K Alagiri said, “You can take it from me, Thalaivar is our next chief minister,” he told TOI.
Alagiri, who was expelled from the party, for violating party discipline in 2014, has been frequenting Karunanidhi’s residence, ostensibly to enquire after his health.Alagiri was spotted in Gopalapuram at least eight times recently, reliable party sources said. “Thalaivar is recovering fast and speaking well now. I don’t care if my visit to my father has triggered speculation,” Alagiri said. The DMK patriarch has been confined to his house for almost a month due to allergic reactions and has been under medication. Visitors are not entertained at his residence barring family members and a few senior leaders.
While Alagiri’s visit to Gopalapuram set political tongues wagging about his possible re-entry into DMK, the former Madurai strongman dismissed such rumours, saying it had nothing to do with politics nor had it anything to do with trying to get his son Durai Dhayanidhi into the DMK trusts. “I have no motive other than to check on my father. I don’t want to react to media speculations,” he said. The long-drawn succession battle in the DMK’s first family continues to resurface every so often. But, what could deepen the rift further between Alagiri and Stalin is Karunanidhi’s recent interview to a Tamil magazine in which he named Stalin as his political heir, and hailed his younger son’s rise in politics.
With the 93-year-old wheelchair-bound leader taking a back seat, Stalin calls the shots by chairing meetings with farmers agitating over the Cauvery issue or party leaders, and steering DMK’s bypoll campaigns. Meanwhile, in his twitter handle recently, Alagiri’s son, Durai Dhayanidhi took a dig at P Saravanan, a medical doctor and DMK’s nominee for Thiruparankundram assembly seat in Madurai, where Alagiri enjoyed huge clout. “So sad to know that Madurai DMK doesn’t have any better candidate,” he said, even as his hashtag “KaasuPanamDhoduMoneyMoney” caused some embarrassment to the party. Saravanan is said to be Stalin’s choice.
“Thalapathi (Stalin) has come this far because of his hard work and dedication right from the time he floated a youth forum in Gopualapuram. He is leading the party in all ways,” a DMK MLA said, pointing to cadres rallying behind Stalin in his ongoing bypoll campaign.