Ousted DMK leader MK Alagiri on Thursday told the media that he will be taking a call on starting his own party after January 3. The son of late DMK chief M Karunanidhi also added that he will also meet actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth, when the latter arrives in Chennai.
Alagiri spoke to reporters after he met his mother Dayalu Ammal at her Gopalapuram residence. According to sources close to Alagiri, he has been in Chennai for over a week visiting his son and he was waiting for a response from the DMK regarding his re-induction into the party. It has however now become clear that there will be no such invite from the Dravidian party. The non-acceptance has forced Alagiri to attempt to chart his own political path ahead of the state assembly elections.
"I have a meeting with my supporters on January 3. Based on this discussion I will take a call on starting a new party," said Alagiri.
Sources close to the leader say that Alagiri has been contemplating starting his own party and is looking to form alliances with existing political set-ups ahead of the state polls.
"But starting a party is not child's play. We have to take into account several factors before we decide to go down that road. Alagiri is looking to assess the kind of support that he has, before taking the plunge," says a source close to the leader.
Multiple sources had told TNM that Alagiri was in talks with the BJP but he had denied the possibility of an alliance with the BJP to Dinamalar.
The sibling rivalry between Alagiri and current DMK chief MK Stalin was well known as they both battled for succession in the party. Alagiri had been suspended and later expelled in 2014 for anti-party activities. After Karunanidhi's death in 2018 however, he said he was ready to accept Stalin's leadership and be a part of the DMK.