Subramanian Swamy backs Stalin to lead DMK, calls Alagiri a goon

New Delhi: Amid a power tussle between MK Stalin and his brother following Karunanidhi's death, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday hit out at MK Alagiri saying that he is jealous of his brother who is doing better in life.

Lashing out at Alagiri, the BJP veteran said that he is not a political leader but a goon. He captures others land, threatens and murders people. Swamy backed Stalin and said even though he is dishonest, he has a hold in the DMK party. Stalin has dedicated all his life to the betterment of his party. So the party will be with him.

The DMK, earlier in the day, held an Executive Committee meeting to condole Karunanidhi's death. The party meet started at 10 am at the party headquarters 'Anna Arivalayam,' based in Chennai.

The key meeting came a day after Stalin's elder brother MK Alagiri visited Karunanidhi's grave at Marina beach and declared that the "real DMK cadres" were with him and not with Stalin. Hitting out at Stalin, the Madurai strongman said that though his brother was the working president of the DMK, he was not working for the party.

Alagiri's open revolt to Stalin's claim for the top post comes within a week of Karunanidhi's death. Karunanidhi had expelled Alagiri and his supporters from the party in 2014 for indulging in anti-party activities and making derogatory remarks.

Karunanidhi had then named Stalin as his political heir. The transition of power was formalised when Stalin was made the working president of the party in January 2017 after Karunanidhi's health did not permit him to preside over the affairs of the party.