Chennai:
Father and sons have tried hard to say there is no DMK succession war. But it's all out in the open now with M Karunanidhi's older son MK Azhagiri stating on Thursday that he will contest polls for DMK president, in a post Karunanidhi situation.
(Forum: Who should succeed Karunanidhi?)Azhagiri said this a day after his father and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi sent across a stern message through a magazine interview. The DMK patriarch said no single person could decide on the DMK's leader. Only last week, Azhagiri had said he would not accept anyone as a leader in his father's stead.
(Read & Watch: No one person can decide who will lead DMK: Karunanidhi)On Thursday, Azhagiri said: "I agree with the Chief Minister's view that the next leader should be chosen democratically...I will also contest to be the party's president."
He did hasten to add that his father was healthy and so there was no need to talk about succession right now.
But in Tamil Nadu, who among Karunanidhi's two politico sons will inherit his legacy and lead the DMK, has been the big question ever since the 86-year-old Chief Minister hinted at retirement last year.
Azhagiri announcing that he is in the race for DMK president after Karunanidhi steps down could well compel the patriarch to drop his plans for retirement, since succession shall no more be a unanimous or smooth process. His retirement would only complicate things and by continuing, he would gain time to sort issues out.
Both, Azhagiri and brother MK Stalin have tried to be very politically correct, ruling out their father's retirement from politics, vowing to work together as "a double-barrel gun" to strengthen the party and repeatedly saying there is no war between the two.
But last week, in what is seen as an open revolt against his younger brother, Azhagiri had said in an interview to a magazine: "When I was 10-years-old, my leader explained to me about Dravidian culture and Periyar. At that time Periyar appeared to be the leader for me. Later Anna's speech and writings attracted me and I accepted him as my leader. After Anna, then, now and forever Thalaivar Kalaignar alone is my leader."
(Read: Tamil Nadu succession war: Azhagiri's new salvo)And added: "Still after Kalaignar I will not accept anyone as my leader. I don't think there's anyone who has the talent and qualification to fill in his place."
The Chief Minister responded by saying in yesterday's interview: "A single person cannot decide DMK's leader...Even I don't have the right to decide. Only the party can decide the leader."
The father, keen to quell all talk about a sibling rivalry, had also said: "There is no friction between Azhagiri and Stalin. They know that it would only hurt me"
Azhagiri has defended his words from last week saying: "It's my wish. I have a right to speak. I spoke my mind."
Stalin, who is Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, has been projected as DMK's heir apparent for some time now. Azhagiri is said to be unhappy at the Centre and wants to play an active role in state politics.