DMK rebel Alagiri meets Prime Minister and Rajnath Singh

Chennai: DMK president M Karunanidhi’s elder son and suspended party south zone organizing secretary M.K. Alagiri called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday at the national capital. Before meeting the PM, Alagiri is also learnt to have had nearly an hour long discussion with BJP leader Rajnath Singh at the latter’s residence late on Wednesday evening.

During the meeting with the PM, which Alagiri described was a “courtesy call”, Dr Manmohan Singh is said to have expressed regret over the DMK and Congress not facing the ensuing LS poll together. Sources privy to the meeting quoted the Prime Minister  describing Karunanidhi as the “godfather” of UPA-I and II.

The meeting could further strain Alagiri’s relationship with Anna Arayivalam considering that an expelled Alagiri had met the PM and reportedly BJP leader Rajnath too at a time when DMK was equidistant from both the Congress and the BJP. When reporters sought his reaction to Alagiri-PM meeting at Chennai airport, DMK treasurer M K Stalin said that he does not read or see unnecessary news.