Chennai: Over 8000 people gathered at Triplicane police station in Chennai to participate in a silent rally announced by Alagiri to pay homage to his late father M Karunanidhi.
'Saviour of the party', 'long live Alagiri' were the slogans raised by the supporters of Alagiri who participated in the rally held in Chennai on Wednesday.
Many of the crowds that participated in the rally had come from Madurai — which is Alagiri's stronghold. An ardent supporter of Alagiri said, "Alagiri is a great leader and we are sure he will be the change Tamil Nadu needs."
A group of 60 people had worn T-shirts with Alagiri's picture and said he is the 'second Kalaignar'. When asked if Alagiri's influence in Madurai has faded over the last four years, the group said, "He still has the support of all the people in Madurai. He has helped many families and has done charitable activities even when he was sacked from the DMK."
Not taking the act of rebellion lightly, the DMK has suspended party functionary Ravi, the area secretary for Velachery, for greeting Alagiri at the Chennai airport yesterday.
"They sacked a party functionary who received me at the airport. Will he sack all the one lakh people who have pledged their support to me today," said Alagiri taking a jibe at Stalin, his brother and now DMK president.
Interestingly, MK Stalin met the public at DMK headquarters in Chennai. Stalin's camp remains unperturbed and feel that Alagiri is not a threat to the party.
Duraimurugan, treasurer of the DMK and senior leader, refused to comment on Alagiri's rally.
As of now, Alagiri's only plan is to be re-indcuted into the party. If the DMK doesn't rethink, he says he will decide his next plan after meeting his supporters.
Following the death of Karunanidhi last month, the family had put up a united front for two days. A day after the burial rituals, Alagiri, taking a leaf out of deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam’s playbook, sounded the call for rebellion from Marina.
On August 30, however, Alagiri, in a climbdown, said he would accept Stalin as the ‘leader’ if he is allowed back into the party.
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