M Karunanidhi, the-93-year-old president of the DMK, will hit the campaign trail on April 23 for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election scheduled for May 16. The nonagenarian Dravidian party leader will file his nomination paper as the DMK candidate from Thiruvarur constituency in the Cauvery Delta which he is representing in the Assembly now.
The DMK released on Tuesday the campaign schedule of Karunanidhi who will criss-cross Tamil Nadu and Pudussery soliciting the electorate to vote for his party candidates. He will file nomination papers from Thiruvarur on April 25 and is expected to address a mammoth public rally in the constituency on the same day.
A special state-of-the-art campaign vehicle has been readied for Karunanidhi who is always confined to a high-tech wheel chair. The campaign vehicle for Karunanidhi has special features like a private office room which can accommodate two to three persons at a time. He can have ideological discussions with poetess Salma or actress Khushbu who are close to him in the vehicle itself, said a DMK insider.
Dr Kalaignar, as he is addressed by the DMK cadre, will be able to speak to the audience sitting in the vehicle itself as it has public address system, in-built platform which could be elevated to the roof top of the vehicle making it a temporary podium. The caravan has in-built closed circuit cameras for Karunanidhi to see the people clearly and without any obstruction.
Till now Karunanidhi has been using a custom built Toyota Alphard SUV in which he could board along with his wheel chair. Being the oldest active politician in the country, the DMK is leaving no chance to ensure smooth and trouble free campaign trip for the leader.
Though the DMK is contesting in 176 seats from Tamil Nadu, the party has not released the list of candidates except that of Karunanidhi and his second son Stalin by second wife Dayalu. Stalin is seeking re-election from Kolathur, a Chennai suburb. K Anbazhagan, the 94 year old party general secretary has decided not to contest as he is busy with the disproportionate assets case against the AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa which he is pursuing in the Supreme Court.
A leading astrologer who was consulted by the DMK bigwigs had told them that time is good for Karunanidhi. “Though he may not become the Chief Minister again, he has got a long life and is quite healthy. The leader enjoys good food and drinks and also all good things in life”, the astrologer told The Pioneer on condition of anonymity.
It was Karunanidhi who led the DMK in the discussions for forging alliances, whether it be the Congress or the fringe parties which have been allotted two or three seats. The DMK has Congress, Muslim league, MMMK and Puthiya Tamilagam as alliance partners. On Tuesday the rebel DMDK leaders who formed Makkal DMDK on Sunday led by V Chandra Kumar went to the DMK headquarters and fell at the feet of Karunanidhi seeking his blessings. The DMK is reported to have told them that their plea for one or two seats would be considered favourably.