Alagiri downplays rift with DMK by calling alliance democratic

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president KS Alagiri on Sunday attempted to downplay the friction with ally DMK vis-à-vis Rajiv convicts release issue by stating that allies were free to air their views.

Talking to reporters on Sunday, Alagiri said the alliance between the DMK and Congress was a ‘free’ one and parties were free to air their own views. “The DMK-Congress alliance is not a slave alliance like the AIADMK-BJP. DMK-Congress is a freedom alliance. It is a democratic alliance. Hence, we air views freely,” Alagiri said, adding that they respect each other’s views and work together for the larger interest of the nation.

Alagiri has sought to downplay the disagreement between the allies on the issue a day after DMK organising secretary

RS Bharathi took exception to TNCC’s objection to the release of the Rajiv murder convicts and said that they (DMK) need not accept the views of the Congress just because they were allies.

Bharathi had even added that their party chief MK Stalin had issued the statement demanding the release of the convicts knowing pretty well that the Congress was an ally.

Trouble brewed in the alliance after Alagiri had issued a statement objecting to the convicts’ release close on the heels of Stalin writing to the Governor seeking to accept the state Cabinet’s recommendation and release the convicts. Alagiri had said then that it was not the culture of Tamils to mount pressure to get the murderers released and they would accept if the release was ordered by the court.

Trouble brewed after Alagiri objected to the convicts’ release close on the heels of Stalin writing to the Governor