Click to play videoChennai: Wednesday’s raging flames at the Dinakaran office in Madurai brought to the headlines a battle within the DMK's first family.
The paper is owned by Karunanidhi's grandnephew Kalanidhi Maran's sun network and its office was set ablaze by Karunanidhi's elder son M K Azhagiri's followers.
They were angry, at the Maran family, after an opinion poll in the paper showed only 2 per cent of people wanting Azhagiri as Karunanidhi's successor.
The fire led to the death of three innocent employees of the newspaper.
An angry and upset Karunanidhi criticised the opinion poll on who would be his successor. He’s even asked for a CBI probe into the violence.
"Since questions are being raised about my families involvement it would be best for the CBI to investigate the matter," said Karunanidhi.
Two days later in Chennai, it was time to celebrate 50 years since he first became an MLA – a celebration which showcased all his allies from New Delhi.
But conspicuous was the absence of Karunanidhi's grandnephew and union minister Dayanaidhi Maran, who often make's his presence felt on such a stage.
The one who did make his presence felt though was Azhagiri. He's had his differences with M K Stalin, who's the chosen heir to Karunanidhi's throne.
But now the brothers walked together – an indication perhaps that it's now the Karunanidhis versus the Marans.
"After Murasoli Maran passed away many did not expect his sons to come into direct politics. The rise of Dayanidhi Maran as union minister seemed to have created very different power centres within the family and the party," said Political Analyst Dr V Krishnaananth.
The rift had been simmering for years. Even as early as 2001, the late Murasoli Maran angrily resigned from active politics for a few weeks.
Critics have often accused Karunanidhi of letting divisions in his family affect the DMK.
"When someone is the party chief he needs to take responsibility for all this, he must have reigned them in. But often they let it go on so that there's no challenge from the second rank," said former DMK MP Era Sezhian.
Today there's open trouble between the two families and DMK workers are already worried about a possible face off between a powerful business empire and a political legacy.
And to discuss the problem in Karunanidhi family, DMK has called for a high level administrative meeting at 1700 hrs IST on Sunday.
The divisions are now out in the open and there's already speculation about a possible resignation from Dayanidhi Maran. But DMK itself would perhaps be the biggest looser in the family feud.
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