 "Karunanidhi turns 95, PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi extend greetings on Twitter")
DMK president M Karunanidhi turned 95 on Sunday with a host of leaders from various political parties, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, extending their greetings to him.
The veteran politician's Gopalapuram residence in Chennai was decked with flowers as scores of party workers started gathering there since last night. They also cut a cake to mark the occasion.
Sweets were distributed among the DMK workers and a host of events, including blood donation camps, were organised by the party at various places in Tamil Nadu.
Karunanidhi's son, DMK working president M K Stalin, and former Union minister A Raja were among those who met him earlier in the day.
The nonagenarian leader had undergone a tracheostomy last year to improve his breathing.
A smiling Karunanidhi made a brief appearance at the balcony of his house and waved at the crowd.
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The DMK supporters, who had gathered outside his residence, raised slogans, hailing him.
Besides Modi, Deve Gowda and Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also greeted the Dravidian leader on the occasion.
Modi, who had called on Karunanidhi in November last year at his residence here, extended his greetings on Twitter and shared an image of his meeting with the DMK veteran. This what he tweeted:
Deve Gowda, in a letter to the DMK president from Bengaluru, said he prayed that the almighty blessed Karunanidhi with good health and a long life "to continue serving the nation with a renewed zeal and dedication by his tremendous experience and wisdom in putting the country's interest above everything".
The JD(S) supremo described Karunanidhi as the icon of Dravidian pride and a statesman, besides being a people's leader.
Rahul Gandhi also extended his greetings on Twitter, saying,
On her Twitter handle, Banerjee wrote, "Warmest birthday greetings to M Karunanidhi @kalaignar89 Ji. I pray for your good health and happiness."
The DMK supremo was first elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Kulithalai in then undivided Tiruchirappalli in 1957.
He has not lost a single election he has contested in his six-decades-long career.