Is Alagiri still the DMK strongman in Madurai?

CHENNAI: Does Union Chemicals Minister M K Alagiri still hold sway over DMK functionaries in Madurai? Yes, if one were to go by the partymen who turned up to receive party treasurer M K Stalin at the airport in Madurai on Tuesday.When Stalin landed in Madurai en route to Tirunelveli to meet partymen lodged in the Palayamkottai jail, none of the DMK functionaries with known Alagiri loyalty like DMK’s district secretary P Moorthy, former Mayor Kulandaivelu, Mayor Thenmozhi, deputy mayor P M Mannan was there to receive him. Even the party’s youth wing secretary Jayaraman did not turn up.It is said the DMK functionaries were told by Alagiri not to receive his younger brother, whom he sees as a rival in the party. However, some senior leaders like Pon Muthuramalingam, Velusamy, R Avudaiappan, and  Karuppasamy Pandian were at the airport.Stalin, who meet Tiruvarur district DMK secretary Poondi Kalaivanan, booked for instigating students to boycott schools during the DMK’s agitation, at the jail also met Alagiri’s close aides lodged in the same jail for alleged land grabbing. Some party functionaries pointed out that Stalin being number three in the party hierarchy, it is customary or even mandatory for district level functionaries to receive him at the airport. So, the absence of the Madurai functionaries is an indication that the long-time rivalry.