Alagiri: No campaign, only pep talks to party cadres

But, he is always on the move crisscrossing southern Tamil Nadu giving 'pep talks' to DMK cadre and pushing them to work for the party in this area bequeathed to him by DMK President and his father M Karunanidhi under an unwritten agreement.

Alagiri, whose influence extends right from Madurai to Kanyakumari at the southernmost tip of India, rarely addresses public meetings seeking votes for the DMK-Congress combine and doesn't even speak if he accompanies candidates in some of the constituencies in this temple town.

He is comfortable doing politics in his stronghold than being a minister at the Centre, holding the Chemicals and Fertilizers portfolio.

His aides say he has always believed in the organisational structure of the party which he feels will help it win elections. That is why he does not come out in the open regularly, they said, adding he is always in touch with party leaders and cadres giving them instructions.

Ever since the campaigning for the April 13 Assembly elections began in March-end in this Temple Town where Alagiri has been living for decades during which he virtually brought the party under his control, the 61-year-old elder son of the chief minister has rarely been seen in public.

Alagiri tells cadres how to reach out to the people and convince them to vote for the DMK alliance. He also instructs party cadres, during his whirlwind tour, to create awareness about the welfare

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