Patch up bid? Azhagiri calls on dad; says sought blessings

Chennai: In a sudden development, former Union Minister and DMK South Zone Organising Secretary M K Azhagiri today called on his father and Party President M Karunanidhi.
Talking to mediapersons after the meeting held at Mr Karunanidhi’s Gopalapuram residence, Mr Azhagiri said he had come to greet his father for the Pongal Festival and seek his blessings.
Not attaching any political significance, Mr Azhagiri, who was warned of expulsion from the primary membership of DMK by the Party Chief a few days ago for opposing electoral alliance between DMK and the actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth-led DMDK for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, said “I came to meet my father to extend Pongal greetings and sought his blessings”.
During the meeting, Mr Karunanidhi enquired about him and his family members, he added.
Responding to a question on the suspension of five DMK functionaries from the party for flouting party discipline, Mr Azhagiri said they were not his loyalists.
The meeting was seen as a patch-up between the father and son after differences cropped up between them over Mr Azhagiri’s January five interview to a private TV channel, in which he opposed a possible DMK-DMDK alliance and also spoke ill of Mr Vijayakanth.
His remarks angered Mr Karunanidhi as it came at a time when the DMK was trying to woo Mr Vijayakanth for an electoral tie-up.
On January 7, a miffed Karunanidhi strictly warned Mr Azhagiri for his remarks on the DMK-DMDK alliance and his open outbursts against Vijayakanth.
Mr Karunanidhi, while strongly condemning the remarks, said whoever violates party discipline would be expelled from the party.
Mr Karunanidhi had said since he himself had welcomed such an arrangement (DMK-DMDK alliance), Mr Azhagiri’s remarks against the alliance was ‘not only regrettable but also condemnable’ and warned of stringent disciplinary action, including expulsion from the primary membership of the party.
A day later after the warning, Mr Azhagiri visited the Gopalapuram residence of Mr Karunanidhi along with his family, but did not meet his father.
He met his mother and left the place, without talking to the waiting media.
In this context, today’s meeting between the father and the son was seen as an effort to bring truce between the two as any differences might affect the party’s prospects in the coming Lok Sabha Polls. (UNI)