LS polls: Crisis-ridden DMK in southern Tamil Nadu

Madurai: In the south, the DMK has slipped into a crisis. The sudden decision of the party high command to expel its one-time Madurai strongman, M.K. Alagiri from the primary membership has brought a sense of uneasiness amid the grassroots cadres on the eve of the polls.

Party workers are questioning the timing of his expulsion  a time when the party is facing a formidable foe in not only the AIADMK, but also the BJP alliance where actor Vijayakanth’s DMDK is pitched.

“It is not going to be easy for us this election. Alagiri is in a bind when he remains in the party. He could only turn out to be an irritant by meeting rivals like MDMK leader Vaiko,” said a youth wing functionary who prefers to remain anonymous.

Many endorse his views. They feel that a rapprochement, which Alagiri is ready for, could change the poll prospects of the party. “In the assembly elections, every party was targeting our leader Karunanidhi and even the votes of the minorities and Dalits remained divided between both the Dravidian majors. But that is not the case now. We have gained their full support. The need of the hour is grassroots organisational work which Alagiri is good at,” said a party functionary.

“Alagiri’s organisational skills cannot be questioned. Now there is no one to motivate us,” said a party worker, who was very active in the previous Lok Sabha elections.

A senior leader of Madurai’s revamped unit said that the decision to expel Alagiri could not have been delayed. “The damage he has caused to the party’s image is enormous. The cadres were demoralised and functionaries dispirited,” he said.

He rubbishes claims that it could whip up a strong bout of internal activities, which the party witnessed in 2001 assembly polls after his first suspension for anti-party activities. Though he has been expelled from the organisation now, a section of the party workers still nurse a hope of revocation of his dismissal.