Rein in Azhagiri, demand DMK units

PTR has never got along with Azhagiri who is seeking to run his own fiefdom in the southern region. The relationship between the father and the son has been through many ups and downs. At one stage, Karunanidhi was so piqued that he directed his followers to disassociate themselves from the rebellious scion.

Azhagiri has also openly complained in the past that the virtual annointment of his younger brother Stalin as Karunanidhi’s heir apparent was unfair to his own ‘‘services to the party’’. Predictably, the anti-Azhagiri group has rallied behind Stalin and a proxy war has erupted. The Azhagiri faction boycotted the recent gruel centre inauguration at Madurai as the show was arranged in honour of the visiting Stalin.

PTR says all the three district secretaries in Madurai had asked MP Agniraj to convene a meeting of party functionaries. But the high command directed them against it. This was because the Azhagiri group did not want to participate in the meeting.

Despite this, an attempt was made to hold a meeting in the city, he says. But members of the Azhagiri group reportedly attacked the cadres and party rivalry came to the fore. Party leaders in Chennai have now said that the Madurai DMK office need not function until further orders.