Karunanidhi being harassed by some forces in DMK says MK Alagiri

Maintaining that he has been "unfairly vilified" and suspended, DMK leader M K Alagiri today alleged "some forces" in the party were not allowing its chief and his father M Karunanidhi to discharge his functions.

"Some forces in the party are not allowing Kalaingar (Karunanidhi) to function as party president. They are harassing the president of the party," he told a large gathering of supporters, in remarks seen as aimed against his younger brother and DMK Treasurer M K Stalin.

The DMK South Zone Organising Secretary, who convened the meeting of his supporters to decide on his future course of action amid speculations that he might float his own outfit, narrated the sequence of events leading to his suspension.

Alagiri, considered an influential leader of the party in the southern districts, said he had had been "unfairly vilified and suspended" for seeking to prevent "irregularities and malpractices" in the party elections.
The Madurai MP, who has been denied ticket for the April 24 Lok Sabha polls, said as the Organising Secretary of the party he had pointed out "irregularities" in the conduct of party elections in Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar and several other districts.

He claimed nominations of many of his supporters were not even accepted for scrutiny. Before going on a foreign trip, he took up the issue with "proof" with Karunanidhi and asked him to take steps to stem the rot.
But the grievances of his supporters were not considered, and his supporters were suspended.

When he questioned party president about this, he threatened to dismiss my supporters. "I told him dismissing my supporters is like dismissing me. He listened to me. Then you all know what happened later. I was also suspended."