05-10-2007, 12:13 AM
<b>DMK fraternal war turns bloody, 3 dead</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Three employees of a leading newspaper were killed here in a vicious mob attack on Wednesday triggered by a survey that said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's younger son MK Stalin was more popular than the elder son MK Azhagiri. The incident sparked off arson and lawlessness across the state's southern districts.
Azhagiri's furious supporters stormed the office of Dinakaran newspaper following the publication of a survey stating said that 70 per cent of people in Tamil Nadu considered Stalin, now the local self-government minister, to be the political heir to the ageing Karunanidhi.
Within hours, the violence spread all over Madurai and in neighbouring areas, with highways shut down and public vehicles attacked in the gory expression of sibling rivalry in Tamil Nadu's first family.
The first two victims of the violence were both computer operators in Dinakaran, owned by the Sun Group of Kalanidhi Maran, elder brother of India's Telecommunications Minister Dayanidhi Maran.
...............
Police reported violence from Cumbum, Theni, Kamuthi, Gudalur, Dindigul, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts as well. At least 35 people were arrested from various parts of Madurai and other cities.
<b>In the published survey, only two per cent reportedly opted for Azhagiri and another two per cent rooted for Kanimozhi, Karunanidhi's daughter. The survey was conducted in association with A.C. Nielsen</b>.
<b>In Chennai, 68 per cent of the people reportedly preferred Stalin and one per cent Kanimozhi while Azhagiri drew a blank.</b>
Azhagiri has for long been in charge of party affairs in the southern districts of the state and has his base in Madurai. But even here he was the choice of only six per cent of the people.
Karunanidhi had found himself in trouble only the day before when another poll published in Dinakaran on "Who is the best minister at the centre from Tamil Nadu?" placed Dayanidhi Maran at the top and union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, son of ally PMK leader S. Ramadoss, somewhere at the bottom. <!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo-->
The PMK chief protested vehemently, forcing Karunanidhi to denounce the Dinakaran poll.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Congress Hand. <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
And also, result of two wives. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Azhagiri's furious supporters stormed the office of Dinakaran newspaper following the publication of a survey stating said that 70 per cent of people in Tamil Nadu considered Stalin, now the local self-government minister, to be the political heir to the ageing Karunanidhi.
Within hours, the violence spread all over Madurai and in neighbouring areas, with highways shut down and public vehicles attacked in the gory expression of sibling rivalry in Tamil Nadu's first family.
The first two victims of the violence were both computer operators in Dinakaran, owned by the Sun Group of Kalanidhi Maran, elder brother of India's Telecommunications Minister Dayanidhi Maran.
...............
Police reported violence from Cumbum, Theni, Kamuthi, Gudalur, Dindigul, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts as well. At least 35 people were arrested from various parts of Madurai and other cities.
<b>In the published survey, only two per cent reportedly opted for Azhagiri and another two per cent rooted for Kanimozhi, Karunanidhi's daughter. The survey was conducted in association with A.C. Nielsen</b>.
<b>In Chennai, 68 per cent of the people reportedly preferred Stalin and one per cent Kanimozhi while Azhagiri drew a blank.</b>
Azhagiri has for long been in charge of party affairs in the southern districts of the state and has his base in Madurai. But even here he was the choice of only six per cent of the people.
Karunanidhi had found himself in trouble only the day before when another poll published in Dinakaran on "Who is the best minister at the centre from Tamil Nadu?" placed Dayanidhi Maran at the top and union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, son of ally PMK leader S. Ramadoss, somewhere at the bottom. <!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo-->
The PMK chief protested vehemently, forcing Karunanidhi to denounce the Dinakaran poll.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Congress Hand. <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->And also, result of two wives. <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->