Alagiri visits bereaved State minister

The Madurai-based former Union minister paid floral tribute to a photograph of the AIADMK leader’s mother at his residence and spent some time with him. The meeting between the two political rivals came against the backdrop of the minister showering praise on Alagiri recently.

However, Alagiri, seeking to rejoin the DMK of which he was once the strongman in Madurai and other southern districts, asked the media not to read too much into the meeting. “I just came here to express my condolences since he lost his mother. It is not what you all expect,” he told the media.

The DMK and AIADMK are arch-rivals in the State and until late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was alive, social contact between the leaders of the two parties was unthinkable. Recently, Raju had reportedly said the peace rally organised by Alagiri in Chennai to pay tribute to his father M Karunanidhi highlighted his continuing clout.