Karunanidhi felicitated on completing 50 yrs as lawmaker

A galaxy of political leaders and Union Ministers were present during the function held in the Tamil Nadu assembly on Saturday to felicitate Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on his completing 50 years as legislator but his grand nephew and Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran was conspicuous by his absence.

Maran's elder brother, Kalanidhi Maran, who owns SUN TV network, was also absent.

Members of the chief minister's family, including his elder son M K Azhagiri in the eye of a political storm following the attack on the Dinakaran office at Madurai, were seen in the gallery. Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi, the family members of Azhagiri and Karunanidhi's younger son M K Stalin watched the proceedings.

Andhra Pradesh Speaker Suresh Reddy, Puducherry Speaker Radhakrishnan, Union Ministers T R Baalu, A Raja, Regupathy, Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, S Palanimanickam, G K Vasan attended the function.

Veteran Communist Party of India leader R Nallakannu, Congress leaders M Krishnasamy, K V Thangabalu, R Marimuthu, Ponnammal, CPI-M state secretary N Varadarajan, BJP leaders S Thirunavukkarasu and H V Hande, Dravidar Kazhagam president Veeramani, Dalit Panthers of India leader Thol Thirumavalavan, MGR Kazhagam leaders R M Veerappan, R Jagatratchagan and former Managing director of Dinakaran K Kumaran were present in the House decked with festoons of jasmine, roses and lotus buds.