MK Alagiri, son of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, led a rally on Wednesday from Anna Salai to Karunanidhi Memorial on Marina Beach, to condole his father’s death. The former member of DMK had called his rally a ‘peace walk’.
While media reports pegged the number of people who attended the rally between 3,000 and 5,000, Alagiri claimed that there were 1.5 lakh people in attendance.
People with Alagiri masks in the rally. Image: Twitter/@Mugilan_C
The rally was preceded by some drama when the DMK expelled Velachery area secretary, Ravi, for receiving Alagiri – who was expelled from the party in 2014 for indulging in anti-party activities – at the airport.
After paying his respects to Karunanidhi at the memorial, Alagiri addressed the media, where, in response to a question from a reporter, he asked, "Will they (DMK led by Stalin) expel all 1.5 lakh people who participated in the rally?"
“I express my thanks to all the people, Kalaignar’s true followers and my loyalists who participated in this peace rally organised to observe 30 days of my father’s, Thalaivar Kalaignar’s, passing.I also thank the police, who cooperated in conducting this rally. I also thank all the TV channels, newspapers and all the journalists who supported us. There is no reason for this rally expect to pay respects to Kalaignar,” he said.
MK Alagiri, the former South Zone Organising Secretary, announced this rally as a show of strength in front of DMK.
After Karunanidhi’s death on August 7, Alagiri met with reporters outside his father’s memorial in Marina and said that true followers of Karunanidhi are on his side. "I was expressing my anguish to my father. All the men loyal to Kalaignar are on my side,” he said.
The former Union minister had also recently expressed his interest to join back in the party and accept the leadership of his brother Stalin, rubbishing allegations that his son, Dhayanidhi Alagiri, wanting a plum post in the party. He had also said that his decision on his next move would be taken after a meeting with his followers in Madurai.