"Talk" of Alagiri's return to DMK a rumour: Stalin

Chennai: Seeking to put to rest speculations that his brother and former Union Minister MK Alagiri could return to the DMK, party treasurer MK Stalin on Tuesday said the talk could be a rumour.

"It could be a rumour. He was expelled from the party several years ago. There is no compulsion for me to answer such questions," he told reporters when asked about "recent news" in a section of media that Alagiri, who was party's south zone organisational secretary, may return to DMK.

Hailed as "Anja Nenjan" (brave heart) by his supporters, Madurai-based Alagiri was the face of DMK in southern districts. He was, however, expelled in 2014 for anti-party activities. Two days back, on the occasion of Alagiri's birthday (January 30), his supporters splashed Chennai, Madurai and other key cities in Tamil Nadu with posters wishing him a great future.

"Dharman Vellum," (Dharma will triumph) was among the catchy slogans that figured alongside the images of Alagiri and DMK chief Karunanidhi in such posters.

Earlier, Stalin visited the Koyambedu flower, vegetable and fruit market here and also held a meeting with traders of the market in a hotel under the "Namakku Name" campaign that he began September last to mobilise support for his party. He listened to the grievances of traders and assured them that it would be addressed if his party was voted to power.

He said he would "continue to make such visits after coming to power as well and work to resolve them."

In his address, Stalin said the DMK regime had taken stakeholders into confidence during decision making "which does not happen now," inconveniencing traders. He also said his work as Mayor of Chennai Corporation during 1996-01 stood the city in good stead during rains.

"Only because of my work and the achievements of the previous DMK regimes, I could stand here in front of you with pride, otherwise would you allow me to come here and interact with you?" he asked.