Rahul Gandhi mourns Karunanidhi's death, says 'India lost a great son'
New Delhi, Aug 7 (IBNS): Mourning the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) patriarch, M Karunanidhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the country "lost a great son".
Karunanidhi, a five-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu, died in a Chennai hospital on Tuesday. He was 94.
Rahul tweeted, "Loved by the Tamilian people, Kalaignar strode the stage of Tamil politics, like a colossus, for over 6 decades. In his passing, India has lost a great son. My condolences to his family as also to the millions of Indians who grieve for their beloved leader tonight."
Loved by the Tamilian people, Kalaignar strode the stage of Tamil politics, like a colossus, for over 6 decades. In his passing, India has lost a great son. My condolences to his family as also to the millions of Indians who grieve for their beloved leader tonight.#Karunanidhi
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 7, 2018
He passed away at 6-10 pm, Kauvery Hospital in Chennai where he was admitted, confirmed.
During Karunanidhi's political life in the last few decades, his formidable opposition was AIADMK's J Jayalalithaa, who passed away in late 2016.
Karunanidhi's political career was not free of controversies as several corruption charges were levelled against him and his party and family members, many of whom joined politics.
His son M K Stalin is his political successor.
M Karunanidhi: A screenwriter turned politician
Born in 1924, in Thirukkuvalai village in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, Karunanidhi was inclined to creative fields showing an avid interest in drama, poetry, and literature during his schooling.
In his career, Karunanidhi served as the chief minister of the state of Tamil Nadu for five separate terms between 1969 and 2011.
Before entering politics Karunanidhi worked in the Tamil film industry as a screenwriter. He has also made contributions to Tamil literature, having written stories, plays, novels, and a multiple-volume memoir.
Karunanidhi's political initiation began as early as at the age of 14, when he was moved by a speech of Alagiriswamii of the Justice Party, and participated in Anti-Hindi agitations.
He first became an MLA at the age of 33 when he entered the Tamil Nadu assembly by winning the Kulithalai seat in the 1957 election. He became the DMK treasurer in 1961 and deputy leader of opposition in the state assembly in the year 1962 and when the DMK came to power in 1967, he became the Minister for Public Works.
In 1969 he became the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for the first time.
He had opposed the Emergency imposed by late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 and had to face the wrath of Gandhi as his government was dismissed by her.
Personal Life
He was married thrice. His first wife Padmavathi is no more. His two other wives are Dayalu Ammal and Rajathiammal. He has four sons and two daughters from his marriages.
His first son is M K Muthu from his first wife.
His three sons from his second wife Dayalu are M K Alagiri, Thamizharasu and M K Stalin, who is his chosen political successor. His daughter from the second marriage is Selvi.
His daughter Kanimozhi, who is a power centre in DMK politics as well, is from his third marriage.
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