PTI 
  
NEW DELHI, Jun 27: M K Azhagiri, the controversial son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, on Tuesday played down developments in Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK involving his cousin Dayanidhi Maran and dismissed him as a "speck of dust".

Azhagiri, who allegedly masterminded the attack on the office of a Tamil Daily which published a survey on Karunanidhi's successor, said many people had left DMK in the past but all this never affected the party.

"Many people, even MGR (former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran) had left the party in the past. Dayanidhi is a speck of dust. No impact on the party at all," he told a private news channel.

He also sought to downplay the prevalence of family politics in DMK saying "in every sphere it is there. A doctor wants his children to become doctors. What's wrong with that?

Azhagiri was critical of the Election Commission's role in the conduct of bypolls to Madurai West Assembly seat and claimed the election result will determine the people's response to DMK government's performance.