CHENNAI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday greeted DMK president M. Karunanidhi on his 94th birthday and said he is one of the tallest among contemporary political leaders and one of the two poles of Tamil Nadu politics since 1969.
In a lengthy greetings message released to the media by the DMK headquarters, she said Karunanidhi had been the unquestioned leader of the DMK since 1969 and added, “It is not an easy task to remain at the helm of a political party for 48 continuous years. It is quite possible that it is a record in politics in any democratic country”.
Since 1957, he had won every election to the Assembly, she pointed out and said “Although there were many opportunities for him to play a role at the Centre, he remained devoted to Tamil Nadu and Tamil people”. She also acknowledged Karunanidhi’s crucial support to the Congress in 1971, 1980, 2004 and 2009.
She said few leaders could claim that their and work straddled two centuries.. Beginning in the 1940s, Karunanidhi’s political life dominated the better part of the twentieth century in office or outside.
Sonia hailed him as an administrator, known for implementing radical ideas of the Dravidian movement and for quick decisions and added he paid equal attention to development and welfare.
As a leader of the Opposition, he was a formidable adversary who kept the government on its toes with his mastery over facts, brilliant arguments and sharp wit.
He was a journalist, novelist, short story writer, poet, playwright, script writer, actor, producer of films and an acknowledged scholar, the Congress leader said.
