Expelled DMK leader MK Alagiri said that genuine cadres were on his side and that a ‘non-working’ president is occupying the post of a president in Chennai.
Speaking at the wedding of a DMK functionary in Palamedu near Madurai, the former South-zone organising secretary of the DMK, MK Alagiri was taking a dig at his brother and the party’s working President MK Stalin.
As per reports, he also said that those who are with the party in organisational posts are with them only for the posts and that the genuine workers are with him.
According to the report in Deccan Chronicle, Alagiri said that the welcome given to him was similar to the one given by party cadres and that it confused him if he was attending a private function or a party function.
These remarks could cause embarrassment to DMK which is aiming for a revival of its political fortunes after its continuous defeats in the previous polls, reported Deccan Chronicle.
The DMK had forfeited its deposit in the RK Nagar bye-polls in 2017 when its candidate Maruthu Ganesh lost to TTV Dinakaran and AIADMK’s E Madhusudhanan.
MK Alagiri has enjoyed the goodwill of party cadres in the low and middle level for his leadership and for the way he has connected with workers at the grassroots.
A former Union minister, Alagiri was expelled from the DMK during the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls for alleged indiscipline.
His expulsion in March 2014 came after he was suspended in January earlier that year for being allegedly involved in ‘anti-party’ activities. According to a report, it was Alagiri’s meeting with MDMK leader Vaiko, who was with the BJP-led NDA during 2014 polls that led to the expulsion.