New Delhi:
Days after Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader MK Stalin was elected the party president, MK Alagiri, the elder son of late Karunanidhi on Thursday hold a silent rally to pay homage to the former Tamil Nadu chief minister at Marina beach in Chennai. In 2014, Alagiri was expelled from the party at the height of his fight with Stalin over establishing supremacy in the party.
Meanwhile, hours before Alagiri's silent rally in Chennai, thousands of his supporters gathered at Wallahjah Road to participate in the march to Karunanidhi's memorial at Marina Beach.
With Karunanidhi's memorial decked up for popularity contest between Stalin and Alagiri security has been tightened and police personnel in strong numbers have been deployed at Marina beach.
Here are the highlights on MK Alagiri silent rally:
# 01:10 pm:Â One Lakh people came here to support me today. Will they send all of them out? You ask them and let me know: MK Alagiri.
One Lakh people came here to support me today. Will they send all of them out? You ask them and let me know: MK Alagiri, Expelled DMK leader when asked 'people who support you are being removed from the party...' #Chennai pic.twitter.com/fyeNaouxLz
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2018
# 12:44 pm:Â Expelled DMK leader MK Alagiri pays tribute at Karunanidhi memorial in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu: Expelled DMK leader MK Alagiri pays tribute at Karunanidhi memorial in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/39AsYaJlLD
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2018
# 11:34 am: Expelled DMK leader MK Alagiri and his supporters hold a rally to the Karunanidhi memorial at Marina Beach in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu: Expelled DMK leader MK Alagiri and his supporters hold a rally to the Karunanidhi memorial at Marina Beach in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/XxuycTIKyh
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2018
# 11:15 am:Â DMK cadres who received Alagiri at the airport were suspended from the party. Today lakhs of cadres are here to attend the peace march, how many will be sacked? Although we've been sacked we'll be DMK cadres only: PM Mannan, Madurai Corporation Ex-Dy mayor and aide of MK Alagiri.
DMK cadres who received Alagiri at airport were suspended from party. Today lakhs of cadres are here to attend the peace march, how many will be sacked? Although we've been sacked we'll be DMK cadres only: PM Mannan, Madurai Corporation Ex-Dy mayor&aide of MK Alagiri #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/44VZFCbXBB
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2018
# 10:16 am:Â Supporters of expelled DMK leader MK Alagiri gather at Wallahjah Road in Chennai to participate in the march to Karunanidhi memorial at Marina Beach.
Tamil Nadu: Supporters of expelled DMK leader MK Alagiri gather at Wallahjah Road in Chennai to participate in the march to Karunanidhi memorial at Marina Beach. MK Alagiri will hold a rally at the memorial today. pic.twitter.com/YnoEODjzTg
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2018
# 09:27 am: Visuals from M Karunanidhi's memorial at Chennai's Marina beach. Expelled DMK leader and M Karunanidhi's son MK Alagiri will hold a rally at the memorial today.
Tamil Nadu: Visuals from M Karunanidhi's memorial at Chennai's Marina beach. Expelled DMK leader & M Karunanidhi's son MK Alagiri will hold a rally at the memorial today. pic.twitter.com/M4pjPxTfWm
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2018
The clash between the two brothers over DMK's succession came to light ever since Alagiri threw an open challenge to his brother’s leadership skill days after Karunanidhi's death on August 7. Despite Karunanidhi’s decision to elevate Stalin as his successor, Alagiri claimed that time would prove that he had the backing of his father’s 'true loyalists'.
However, in a move to make a peace offering, Alagiri later expressed his willingness to accept DMK president MK Stalin's leadership with a rider to readmit him into the party.
Alagiri's silent rally, which will pay homage to his late father at Marina breach on Wednesday, is also a show of strength by his supporters.
