The public meeting at Madurai late Tuesday evening addressed by Muthuvel Karunanidhi, the 93-year-old president of the DMK turned out to be a pathetic exercise. Though the rally drew hundreds of party cadre and the fans of Karunanidhi, the DMK chief failed to either inspire or enthuse them as age has taken a heavy toll on him.
Karunanidhi has lost his unique oratorical skills. His booming voice has started to slur and memory failed him many times during the 20- minute speech necessitating the intervention of Shanmug-anathan, his Man Friday. It is time the nonagenarian leader retired from active politics and start playing with the kids of his grand— children Udayanidhi Stalin, Daya Alagiri and Kayalvizhi.
Karunanidhi is the oldest active politician in the 2016 Assembly election. Though K Anbazhagan (94), general secretary of the DMK, too wanted to have a last foray in this election, senior members of the party persuaded the “professor” to take a break from electoral politics leaving Kalaignar (as Karunanidhi prefers to be addressed by all) to create new records in the country’s election books.
The DMK patriarch, who took over the presidency of the party in 1969 following the death of CN Annadurai, is the longest serving president of any political outfits in India. Though confined to a wheel chair since the last eight years reportedly due to knee disorder, Kalaignar has no major health issues and is said to enjoy all good things in life. The number of septuagenarian and octogenarian women who turned up for the Madurai rally is an indication of the popularity enjoyed by this former script writer of Tamil films. A mention of Karunanidhi’s name was sufficient to make them blush and giggle.
“He has lost his memory and that exciting voice,” said Ramamoorthy, a scribe who never misses any public speeches by Kalaignar. People in Madurai where anxious to know whether the Grand Old Man of Tamil Nadu politics would go to TVS Nagar where his elder son Alagiri is living with his children and grand children. It is reported that though the great grand children waited for their Thatha (great grandfather) to come home for dinner, Karunanidhi accompanied by third wife Rajathi preferred to have his dinner from the star hotel he was staying.
What surprised and shocked all was Karunanidhi’s request made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking the latter’s immediate intervention to ensure free and fair election in Tamil Nadu on May 16. Karunanidhi knows well that the Election Commission of India is in control of the administration during the process of election and it is for ECI to ensure the smooth conduct of the polls.
What is causing concern to ardent Karunanidhi fans is his State of health. Even a person like EMS Nampoothirippadu, known for his strict food habits and sedate life style could not go beyond 89 years of age. The CPI(M) veteran passed away immediately after the 1998 lok Sabha election campaign after a bout of pneumonia.