Alagiri meets Karunanidhi on Pongal

Former union minister and DMK's south zone organising secretary M.K. Alagiri said Saturday that he met his father and party president M. Karunanidhi to greet him on Pongal.

Speaking to reporters, Alagiri said he had come to get Karunanidhi's blessings on the occasion of Pongal Saturday. He said his father enquired about him and his family.

Queried about the suspension of five of his supporters in Madurai Jan 9, Alagiri said in a matter-of-fact manner that the party had taken action against them.

On Thursday, the party suspended five Alagiri supporters for printing and pasting wall posters hurting the party's image. Earlier, Alagiri was warned by Karunanidhi to toe the party line or face expulsion.

In a recent interview, Alagiri, the south zone organising secretary of DMK, had opposed an alliance with DMDK in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Alagiri's opposition came after Karunanidhi had earlier said he would be "happy" if there was an alliance between the two parties.

On Jan 7, Karunanidhi warned Alagiri and others that the party would take action against those who voiced views contrary to the official line. He said such action could include removal from primary membership of the party.

Karunanidhi termed Alagiri's views regrettable and condemnable, saying they were contrary to the views expressed by him as party president.

The DMK chief also said that decisions on electoral alliances are taken by the party's executive and general council or the committee to which the task is assigned.

He warned that the party would take disciplinary action and also remove from its primary membership those who express unnecessary or contrary views.

The warning is applicable to all party workers, he said.

The DMK had recently disbanded its Madurai unit as some functionaries violated party discipline.

DMK is keen on bringing the DMDK into its fold to fight the general elections due this year, while the latter has so far not expressed any views on the issue.