Chennai: Earlier this week, Tamil Nadu minister and Chief Minister M.Ok. Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin visited his uncle, expelled Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M.Ok. Alagiri, on the latter’s residence in Madurai. Alagiri and his spouse Kanthi stood on the doorstep, welcoming their nephew. Kanthi even planted a peck on Udhayanidhi’s brow. They exchanged shawls and spent 45 minutes collectively, and the DMK formally stated it was nothing greater than a “household assembly”.
The camaraderie on show has raised eyebrows within the corridors of state politics, given how Alagiri had been his brother Stalin’s staunch critic until two years in the past. He has additionally light from mainstream politics and cosying as much as him is unlikely to convey any main political advantages for Udhayanidhi, political observers instructed ThePrint.
Nonetheless, they stated, the ties inside DMK patriarch Karunanidhi’s household are intact regardless of political variations between some members. Udhayanidhi’s olive department to Alagiri could have primarily been to safe his place because the DMK inheritor obvious inside the household earlier than securing his place within the celebration.
Senior political analyst R Ok Radhakrishnan stated, “Udhayanidhi Stalin is an especially intelligent operator who’s making an attempt to safe his place inside the household. The very first thing that anyone must do inside Karunanidhi’s prolonged household is to safe their place inside. Udhayanidhi desires Alagiri’s assist inside the household.”
A supply near the household instructed ThePrint, “Their ties are intact. Stalin and Alagiri will not be on speaking phrases with one another however the remaining are fantastic. The household was very sad when Alagiri tried to upstage Stalin in 2021 (proper earlier than the meeting elections).”
Udhayanidhi, a film producer-politician who was inducted in his father’s cupboard final month because the sports activities growth and youth welfare minister, instructed reporters he simply needed to hunt his uncle’s blessings. Alagiri returned the love by saying, “My brother’s son is like my son.”
In the meantime, DMK’s former MP T.Ok.S. Elangovan careworn there was nothing political in regards to the assembly. “This was only a household assembly and besides just a few, a lot of the members of the family are on speaking phrases,” he instructed ThePrint.
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The sibling rivalry
DMK patriarch Karunanidhi, who had three wives, has 4 sons and two daughters, of which solely Alagiri, Stalin and Kanimozhi have been in lively politics. Karunanidhi’s nephew Murasoli Maran, and his son Dayanidhi Maran have additionally wielded energy within the celebration.
Stalin’s relations with Kanimozhi have traditionally been uneven however he has given his half sister prominence inside the celebration since Karunanidhi’s demise. Stalin and Alagiri, nevertheless, have at all times had a operating political feud.
Occasion sources near Stalin stated Udhayanidhi’s go to wouldn’t have occurred with out the CM’s consent. To which, Elangovan stated, “He might need been knowledgeable however I’m not positive.”
Whereas Karunanidhi’s two sons in politics spent the final decade or so sparring for management, political analysts say that by now, Stalin is firmly within the saddle and neither he nor Udhayanidhi will need to create house for an additional energy centre inside the celebration.
“Stalin has asserted himself utterly within the celebration. He’s in management and he has nominated Udhayanidhi as his successor. Alagiri is of no relevance,” political analyst G.C. Shekhar instructed ThePrint, including that Alagiri’s type is to be lively solely when the DMK is in energy, and crawl into hibernation in any other case.
Political analyst Radhakrishnan stated Udhayanidhi’s go to was maybe pointless at a time when Stalin was firmly in management. “The factionalism within the celebration could rear its head with this one assembly. The thought that he (Alagiri) could make entry again into the celebration at any level is a scary factor for the individuals of Tamil Nadu. The celebration will likely be confused now due to what Udhayanidhi has completed,” he instructed ThePrint.
Responding to questions on a potential comeback, Alagiri cryptically instructed reporters after the assembly, “That it is best to ask them (the celebration excessive command).”
Alagiri’s rise and fall, Stalin’s rise and rise
Alagiri, generally known as Anja Nenjan that means braveheart by his supporters, moved base to Madurai within the Nineteen Eighties to handle Murasoli, the DMK mouthpiece. There, he began gaining recognition in southern Tamil Nadu regardless that he didn’t maintain any official place within the celebration. Political commentators say his rising recognition made many senior leaders from the area sad in regards to the factionalism within the celebration that he created.
In 2009, he contested for the primary time for the Lok Sabha from Madurai and received. He was even made a cupboard minister within the UPA authorities between 2009 and 2013.
In 2014, Alagiri was expelled from the celebration after overtly combating his brother Stalin and in addition questioning his father and celebration patriarch Karunanidhi’s management.
Alagiri then saved a low profile until Karunanidhi’s demise in 2018. Karunanidhi’s cremation was the final time the 2 brothers had been seen collectively in public. With their father gone, whereas Stalin was being projected because the DMK’s face and the following CM candidate, Alagiri did attempt to make in-roads into the celebration. He reportedly stated he’ll settle for Stalin because the ‘chief’ if he was taken again into the celebration.
However the then DMK basic Ok. Anbalagan turned down his overtures, saying Karunanidhi had expelled Alagiri, and as a political celebration, the patriarch’s choice remained.
In 2021, when the celebration projected Stalin because the CM candidate and was working for a sweep within the then coming elections, Alagiri had stated, “There are at all times posters calling you (Stalin) future CM however that’s not going to occur. My followers won’t ever allow you to change into the CM.”
Stalin’s large victory within the meeting polls that 12 months when the DMK received 133 of the 234 constituencies, nevertheless, propelled him because the celebration’s undisputed chief, prompting even Alagiri to reward his brother.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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