Scores of well-wishers and supporters assembled at the residence of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi here on Monday to wish him on his 90th birthday.
On the occasion, Karunanidhi remembered his predecessors and placed wreaths at the memorials of the founder of the DMK party, late Arignar Annadurai and Periyar.
Karunanidhi has served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on five separate occasions. He holds the record of winning his seat in every election in which he has participated, in a political career spanning more than 60 years.
In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Karunanidhi led the DMK-led DPA (UPA and Left Parties) in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to win all 40 Lok Sabha seats. In the following 2009 Lok Sabha elections, he was able to increase the number of seats for the DMK from 16 to 18 seats, and led the UPA in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, to win 28 seats, even with a significantly smaller coalition.
Karunanidhi, who began his career as a screenwriter in the Tamil film industry, is called by his supporters as Kalaignar.