 "Karunanidhi in the grip of betrayers, says Alagiri")
Putting to rest speculation, suspended Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader M K Alagiri on Monday ruled out floating his outift but vowed to save his father and party chief M Karunanidhi from the "grip of betrayers", a veiled attack on his younger brother M K Stalin.
"I am with the DMK. There is no need for me to start a new party by name Kalaingar DMK, when the present DMK is itself Kalaingar DMK," the former Union minister said. Karunanidhi was under the grip of "betrayers and what is more important is saving the DMK president from them, than saving the party itself. This is my first work," he said apparently attacking Stalin, party treasurer and considered the political heir to Karunanidhi.
The meeting was held against the backdrop of Alagiri, sitting member of Parliament from here, and his supporters being denied tickets to contest the Lok Sabha polls amid speculation he might part ways with the DMK.
Saying he had been "unfairly vilified" and suspended, Alagiri said Karunanidhi was not being allowed to discharge his functions as the party President.
He, however, regretted the root cause of all problems, including his suspension, were controversial posters put up by his followers.
"You have pasted such posters out of affection for me. Your posters caused all the problems. My supporters should stop posting such posters," the suspended DMK South Zone organising secretary said.
The posters put up in connection with his birthday in January had led to "misunderstanding", he said.
"The party should have taken such posters in the right spirit" and tried to rectify if there was grumbling and dissatisfaction among the cadres. But they made it a big problem and complicated it due to ego, Alagiri said.
Alagiri's speech indicated his intention to get back the influence he wielded in the party.
Earlier, speakers at the meeting rued that the hardwork of cadres was not respected by the party high command who they accused of being after money.
"We should release the party from the grip of such persons. Even district secretaries of the party only respected money and not hard work," a cadre said.
The cadres also sought Alagiri's permission to rescue the party from the present high command.
Alagiri was highly critical of the choice of DMK candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Theni, Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram in the southern Tamil Nadu, saying "I am sure Kalaingar did not select them. Candidate selection is the work of some other person," he said.
"I am with the DMK. There is no need for me to start a new party by name Kalaingar DMK, when the present DMK is itself Kalaingar DMK," the former Union minister said. Karunanidhi was under the grip of "betrayers and what is more important is saving the DMK president from them, than saving the party itself. This is my first work," he said apparently attacking Stalin, party treasurer and considered the political heir to Karunanidhi.
The meeting was held against the backdrop of Alagiri, sitting member of Parliament from here, and his supporters being denied tickets to contest the Lok Sabha polls amid speculation he might part ways with the DMK.
Saying he had been "unfairly vilified" and suspended, Alagiri said Karunanidhi was not being allowed to discharge his functions as the party President.
He, however, regretted the root cause of all problems, including his suspension, were controversial posters put up by his followers.
"You have pasted such posters out of affection for me. Your posters caused all the problems. My supporters should stop posting such posters," the suspended DMK South Zone organising secretary said.
The posters put up in connection with his birthday in January had led to "misunderstanding", he said.
"The party should have taken such posters in the right spirit" and tried to rectify if there was grumbling and dissatisfaction among the cadres. But they made it a big problem and complicated it due to ego, Alagiri said.
Alagiri's speech indicated his intention to get back the influence he wielded in the party.
Earlier, speakers at the meeting rued that the hardwork of cadres was not respected by the party high command who they accused of being after money.
"We should release the party from the grip of such persons. Even district secretaries of the party only respected money and not hard work," a cadre said.
The cadres also sought Alagiri's permission to rescue the party from the present high command.
Alagiri was highly critical of the choice of DMK candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Theni, Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram in the southern Tamil Nadu, saying "I am sure Kalaingar did not select them. Candidate selection is the work of some other person," he said.