Still for some of the cadre and functionaries of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in southern districts, January 30 appears to be a day for celebration and joy.
Ahead of his birthday, supporters of former Union Minister and once a strongman in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, M.K. Alagiri, have pasted posters showering encomiums on the “Anja Nenjan” and have decked up walls on the main thoroughfares of the temple city.
Huge hoardings have been put up in choicest words praising Alagiri and wishing him a “comeback” in the party soon on his 64th birthday.
Party men, who were once loyal to Mr Alagiri, had disowned him and sided with his younger brother M.K. Stalin, Mr Alagiri’s loyalists said. “We are confident that the high command would find a way out and solve the imbroglio...” However, the seniors in the party said there was no way that expelled persons would see a comeback.
“The DMK may have found some ‘vague’ reasons and expelled Mr Alagiri from the party, but our “Annan,” the elder son of our “Thalaivar”, is in no mood to give up and is ‘determined’ to fight a lone battle against his younger brother M.K. Stalin and make a comeback.” This is the perception making rounds amid the supporters of Mr Alagiri.
Help to needy
“Whether in power or not, Mr Alagiri would always celebrate his birthday by distributing welfare assistance to the poor and the needy. This has been the practice for the last two decades,” his supporters who continue to be in the DMK and are ward councillors in Madurai Corporation said on Wednesday.
Mr Alagiri, who was once appointed as the party’s south zone organising secretary, has been avoiding the media in the recent times thus giving ample signals to the family members that he does not want to create any confusion and is all set for a patch-up. Though there is no word on who would greet him from his family on his birthday, a person close to Mr Alagiri said at least six district secretaries, a few former ministers in the DMK regime, Rajya Sabha MP K.P. Ramalingam and those who were removed from the party were certain to come and grace the occasion at Rajah Muthiah Mandram.
Meanwhile, former deputy Mayor P.M. Mannan, a staunch loyalist of Mr Alagiri, and others have planned to accord a rousing reception in at least 50 locations to Mr Alagiri, when he leaves home from Satya Sai Nagar to the venue.