Click to play videoChennai: He wanted a quiet birthday, but his party refused and so there was a big birthday bash for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
The birthday gifts included animals, birds and even a birthday greeting from a look alike of his former rival, MGR. All his cadres came from around the state to wish him on his 85th birthday.
Within his own family, his estranged grand nephews — the Maran brothers Dayanidhi and Kalanidhi — came with a birthday greeting, desperate, perhaps, to rebuild a burnt political bridge.
However, sources say there is still no scope for a reconciliation between Karunanidhi and the Marans. The DMK Chief's younger son, Stalin seems to want them back, but his elder son Azhagiri is clearly against such a move.
His family's internal divisions are perhaps Karunanidhi's biggest worry, but for the cameras the DMK chief had very different political birthday wish.
He said, "I want the Sethusamudram project to be completed. That is my only birthday wish."
However, beneath the politics and the extravaganza, one birthday gift that Chennai was very happy about was from the hotel owners — restraunts catering to the middle class have announced a 15 per cent reduction in the prices of idlis dosas and an afternoon meal was priced at Rs 20.
Co-founder, Sangeetha group of Hotels, Rajagopal said, "Every price is consistently increasing and now fuel price will rise and there will be a further increase in price of food stuff. But for the sake of the Chief Minister's birthday, we are cooperating with the government and reducing prices of basic food items."
The drum beats, the dancing and the cheer aside, Karunanidhi, at 85, will have to get his party ready for the coming general elections.
And that's exactly what was discussed at this General council meeting on Monday. Karunanidhi announced that there would be changes in the organisational set up of the party and that could mean a greater role for his sons — M K Stalin and Azhagiri.
But for the moment, the party is clear that Karunanidhi will remain the undisputed leader till the general elections and Stalin's dream of stepping into his father's shoes will have to wait.
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