Alagiri, Stalin lock horns over DMK succession war after M Karunanidhi's death

M K Stalin and M K Alagiri

The DMK on Monday appeared headed for a fresh succession war days after the death of its patriarch M Karunanidhi, with his estranged son and former union minister M K Alagiri claiming all loyal party workers are with him. Karunanidhi had expelled Alagiri and his supporters from the party in 2014 at the height of his fight with his younger brother M K Stalin over establishing supremacy in Tamil Nadu's main Opposition party. Stalin is now the working president of the DMK and looks set to assume its reins.

Alagiri on Monday paid tributes to his father at his grave on the Marina Beach and made his intentions clear when he claimed all loyal party workers were with him. "All the true and loyal supporters of Thalaivar, Kalaignar are with me, they are supporting me...time will provide the answer," Alagiri, who has been leading a life away from the media glare in Madurai since his expulsion, told reporters. He said he prayed at his father's grave over his "grievances and frustration" about which the media would not know now. When asked if those were related to the family or the party, Alagiri said it was the latter.

2009
Year Alagiri was named the party's south zone organising secretary

Fighting for legacy
> Alagiri and Stalin have been at loggerheads for years over who will inherit Karunanidhi's legacy. The former union minister has considerable influence in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

> Stalin was Karunanidhi's favourite as he diligently worked his way up the DMK hierarchy.

> Alagiri lay in the background. It was only in 2009, after the Tirumangalam bypoll victory of DMK in Madurai, that Alagiri was named the party's south zone organising secretary. However, he faced allegations of distributing cash to voters.

> When Stalin embarked on a campaign for 2016 assembly polls, Alagiri called it a "comedy show."

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