Take me back or be ready for consequences: Alagiri to DMK

A day ahead of his brother MK Stalin’s elevation as the DMK president, expelled leader MK Alagiri on Monday hardened his stance saying he will continue with the proposed September 5 march and warned the party of consequences if he was not readmitted.

The former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam strongman in southern Tamil Nadu, who has been flexing muscles since the death of his father M Karunanidhi on August 7, said the rally in Chennai was being organised as per the wishes of the cadres.

“They (cadres) only wanted me to take the lead in organising the march to pay homage (to Karunanidhi),” he told reporters here.

He said he was doing all this to “save” the DMK following the demise of Karunanidhi.

“Kalaingar (Karunanidhi) is not there now. The party has to be saved and protected,” Alagiri said.

“If they don’t readmit me, they will have to face consequences,” he added.

Alagiri has been in political hibernation since his expulsion from the party in 2014 by Karunanidhi. The former union minister was sacked at the height of his fight with Stalin over establishing supremacy in the party.

Indicating a fresh succession war in the DMK, Alagiri had on August 13 claimed that all “loyal” party workers were with him and accused Stalin of blocking his return to the party.

Later, he sought to project himself as someone who was not interested in posts and said he had never hankered for any position in the party even when Karunaidhi was alive.