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INTERVIEW
"Vested
interests are out to finish me"
An
interview by INDIA TODAY Principal Correspondent Arun Ram.
Though shunned
by his father M. Karunanidhi and disowned by the ruling DMK in Tamil nadu,
M.K. Alagiri vows to stay in the
party. He spoke to INDIA TODAY Principal Correspondent Arun Ram in
Madurai. Excerpts from an exclusive interview:
Q. Why
did the DMK disown you?
A. Some vested interests are at play in the party. They want to finish
me off. This is their masterplan. I don't understand the rationale behind
DMK General Secretary K. Anbazhagan's statement that I have acted against
the interests of the party and partymen. In fact, the partymen, as you
can see, still love me.
Q. But
why did violence follow in Madurai and the neighbouring districts?
A. I have nothing to do with the bus burning or other incidents. There
are so many miscreants in society. How can you blame me for whatever happens
in Madurai? The violence could be the handiwork of the PMK or the Communists.
Q. Who
are the vested interests in the party you are talking about?
A. For one, Karuppusamy Pandiyan.
Q. Do
you feel disowned by your father?
A. He has not spoken to me. Anbazhagan has given a statement. That's
all.
Q. The
statement says that partymen should not hold any talks with you ...
A. That's it. They say the partymen should not speak party affairs
with me. We have so many other things to speak about. We will continue
to speak. These people love me.
Q. Is
this "love" for Alagiri or the son of the chief minister?
A. They see me as Alagiri. The chief minister has nothing to do with
my fame. These are all personal relations.
Q. Is
your brother, Stalin, the CM-in-waiting?
A. Party leaders have their own interests in promoting Stalin. I admit
that all is not well between Stalin and me. We don't meet often and if
a situation warrants, we exchange pleasantries. I don't want to analyse
why he is being promoted. But his ascent and the party's mindless attitude
towards me have definitely precipitated matters. The chief minister must
be having something in mind. Anyway, I have no regrets since I never craved
for power.
Q. But
what about the allegations that you have been an extra-constitutional
power centre in Madurai?
A. This is loose talk. I have so many friends in Madurai. I do whatever
I can to help them. But I have never misused my status of being the chief
minister's son. There is lot of talk that I have been getting party tickets
for my friends. These are all creations of the media and my opponents.
Q. What
is your next move now that the party has disowned you?
A. I have no plans of either joining another party or launching my
own party. I remain a DMK loyalist, though the party has disowned me.
I have a word of caution for the DMK leadership: it is in for trouble
if it thinks it has the support of all and sundry who joined the party
after 1996. If the party loses power in the coming elections, half the
number of partymen will desert it. I have no interest in getting political
posts. I have requested my friends to maintain peace and I want to lead
a peaceful life in Madurai.
Q. Why
Madurai?
A. I have no love for Chennai, if that is what you have in mind. My
bonds with Madurai over 20 years have become very strong. It is an emotional
attachment. Had I been in Chennai, they would have finished me off long
ago.
Q. So
you mean you are finished now?
A. Nobody can snatch away my friends' love for me. I attended a partyman's
marriage just a couple of days ago. As long as these people love me, I
have nothing to fear.
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