Chennai: Leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin's personal visit to pay homage to former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa is an ice-breaker in the state known for vendetta politics and lack of cordiality among leaders of DMK and AIADMK.
In stark contrast, the circumstances in 1987 when AIADMK founder MGR died was marred by mob violence and vandalism in which the statue of Karunanidhi was broken. The situation was very tense and Karunanidhi was forced to stay indoors and a personal visit to the venue where MGR's body was kept was inconceivable.
Stalin, who condoled the AIADMK leader's death, described it as a great loss and said though his views differed with Jayalalithaa in politics, they were handling them in a democratic manner.
Stalin had attended the swearing-in ceremony of Jayalalithaa despite the government allocating a seat in the middle rows, triggering a controversy.
Karunanidhi, who is admitted to Kauvery hospital, to responded to the growing decency in political culture by issuing a condolence statement for Jayalalithaa, with whom he was wrangling for power during the last three decades. He said Jayalalithaa had worked for the welfare of the party and she would live in the hearts of its cadres forever.
