Stalin and Azhagiri

Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Mr. Alagiri waited for his younger brother and Deputy Chief Minister of TN for more than half-an-hour at the Delhi airport to receive his younger brother when he flew to the Capital Thursday night to attend the National Development Council meet. And the incident has surprised several top brass in the party.

Mr. Alagiri who was all the while against his younger brother taking on the mantle from their father CM M Karunanidhi the next morning, down to Tamil Nadu House, where Mr Stalin was staying, and was closeted with him for more than an hour. Their sister and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi was present during the meeting, during which they discussed several issues, an insider said.

Though Mr Stalin has been soft towards his elder brother, Mr Alagiri had often signaled disapproval at his sibling being projected as the prince-in-waiting. Their differences came to the fore when Mr Alagiri recently threw his hat in the ring for the post of DMK president. But, Mr St-alin kept mum and refused to add fuel to the controversy.

Mr Alagiri’s climbdown is widely interpreted as a change of heart in accepting his brother as his future le-ader. “We are all happy that the issue is settled smoothly. A senior DMK MP said all we want is that there should be no misunderstanding between the two.”

The newfound bonhomie between the brothers may make the party men happy but their real worry is how long it will last.