Alagiri move exposes family war

DMK war intensifies

Alagiri's resignation exposes DMK's turf war 

A turf war is raging in Tamil Nadu chief minister Karunanidhi’s family, and his son M K Alagiri’s resignation from the union cupboard could be a strategic move which will shake up the DMK’s internal equations.

Alagiri is, for the record, angry that his party has done nothing to sack tainted former telecom minister A Raja, who allegedly caused the state a loss of Rs one.76 lakh crore. Alagiri has conjointly quit as organizing secretary of the DMK.
By distancing himself from Raja, fertilisers minister Alagiri is suggesting that the scandal might have an effect on the party’s electoral prospects. The DMK has stood firmly by Raja up to now.

Raja has remained loyal to Karunanidhi throughout his political career, though his father, who migrated from Sri Lanka, was near the Congress. Raja conjointly enjoys the blessings of Rajathiammal, Karunanidhi’s third wife.

The problem with the DMK, as journalist Cho Ramaswamy said on TV on Wednesday, is that he has introduced way too several from his family into politics, and every member is currently fighting the opposite for prominence. Karunanidhi has six youngsters from 3 wives, and his nephews are within the reckoning when it involves sharing the spoils.

Alagiri is additionally upset with Tamil Nadu data technology minister Poongothai Aladi Aruna, who has described him as a “cut-throat politician” in an exceedingly phone conversation with the controversial lobbyist Niira Radia. He needs her thrown out of the party.

Alagiri has been a low-profile minister in Delhi, indicating to his party and his supporters in Tamil Nadu that his heart is in state politics. in contrast to his cousin Dayanidhi Maran, who enjoys his role at the centre, Alagiri would well be in Chennai.

Assembly elections are turning out in Tamil Nadu, and may be scheduled in could, simply 5 months from currently.

Alagiri is that the son of Karunanidhi’s second wife Thayalu, and dominates the political scene in southern Tamil Nadu, with Madurai because the concentration. M K Stalin, Karunanidhi’s alternative son from an equivalent wife, is powerful within the Chennai region, and is already the deputy chief minister. Stalin and Alagiri have carved up the state between themselves, however are fighting for every other’s terrain. Another contender for power is Kanimozhi, their 0.5 sister (daughter of Karunanidhi’s last wife Rajathiammal), who happens to be a good supporter of Raja, and is thus a natural enemy of her 2 powerful brothers.

The power struggle between Alagiri and Stalin is standard, and Stalin has largely outsmarted his elder half-brother, thanks largely to his proximity to his father in Chennai. Alagiri lives in Madurai, and observers say he's a robust contender for the chief minister’s post if Karunanidhi were to step down.

Karunanidhi, the party’s supreme leader, is unlikely to resign despite his age, since he's aware that may trigger a struggle between the brothers that might wreck the party.


Things have not been straightforward between the factions. In October, when the spectrum scandal was breaking, Alagiri and Raja reportedly fought at the airport. they'd denied the report, however it currently seems the rift was widening even then.

Also concerned within the battle are the Marans. Murasoli Maran, Karunanidhi’s nephew, served as a central minister, and once his death, his son Dayanidhi Maran was the DMK’s face in Delhi. Following a feud at intervals the family, Dayanidhi was ousted from his position as communication minister. however Dayanidhi is back in favour, albeit variations surface each currently and then. The Radia tapes showed how the Congress was caught between Dayanidhi and therefore the Karunanidhi family when it came to allocating cupboard portfolios.

Given these cross currents, the DMK is in for a troublesome time in election year. Karunanidhi has rejected Alagiri's resignation, however that will not build all his issues depart.