Euphoric over his twin triumph of winning a closely fought Lok Sabha polls DMK chief M Karunanidhi is geared up to celebrating his 86th birthday.
Euphoric over his twin triumph of winning a closely fought Lok Sabha polls and sorting out the succession issue in his family, DMK chief M Karunanidhi is geared up to celebrating his 86th birthday on Wednesday.
On his last birthday, a pensive Karunanidhi asked his partymen not to celebrate citing "sufferings of Sri Lankan Tamils". But finally went ahead after senior leaders including
his party General Secretary K Anbazhagan, prevailed upon him.
Last year was a difficult one for the DMK chief as he was in the thick of a feud between his family and his grand nephews- Maran brothers-- and involved in a battle with
his then ally, PMK founder S Ramadoss, whose party was ultimately eased out of the DMK led DPA.
His 85th birthday was marred by unsavoury scenes with his elder son M K Azhagiri, who was dead against any rapprochement, virtually turning away Kalanidhi and Dayanidhi Maran, who went to greet the octogenerian leader. But within a year, things looked up for the ailing DMK president as not only the two families came together to fight the Lok Sabha polls but also the animosity between the families eased with both Dayanidhi Maran and Azhagiri becoming ministers in the UPA cabinet.The family rapprochement apparently also helped Karunanidhi to anoint his second son M K Stalin as his successor, making him Deputy Chief Minister.
But the icing on the cake for the DMK chief was leading his party's alliance with Congress to an emphatic victory against the formidable AIADMK-led alliance, belying all poll predictions. The DMK alliance won 27 of the 39 seats in the state. Karunanidhi, who underwent a surgery for back pain, virtually led his party to victory from his hospital bed with Stalin bearing the brunt of the heat of the campaigning.
With 'Thalaivar' (leader) in a happy frame of mind, party workers including the youth and women's wings have lined up a slew of cultural and literary programmes to hail the
leader. An early riser, Karunanidhi will be at the party headquarters Anna Arivalayam tomorrow, to meet his supporters who are expected to turn up in large numbers to greet him.
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