Comment on family rule hurts: Alagiri

MADURAI: In what could be seen as the first vocal reaction from the DMK after the party’s election debacle, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers M K Alagiri criticised the party cadre who attributed the election defeat to family rule in the party.“Such remarks made by the cadre who point a finger at the DMK patriarch’s family have upset me the most,” said Alagiri on Sunday. He was in Madurai to attend the wedding of the daughter of a DMK functionary.Alagiri said that remarks made by party cadre about family rule were painful than those from the cadre belonging to other parties as the party has done a lot in terms of old-age pension and other welfare measures. Alagiri, who still seemed to be in a shock, expressed his displeasure that even after all the schemes launched by the party, they were unable to win even one seat out of the 10 constituencies in Madurai. Alagiri, whose pictures were once upon a time seen in almost all the flex boards erected in the city, has asked his party cadre to refrain from using his photograph and that of his family members on flex boards. He said that if his photos were used, he would boycott the function. The cadre should use the photographs of Annadurai and  Karunanidhi and he asked the cadre to cooperate in this regard.He also hoped that they would work to put back the party on track.