AIADMK govt wishes DMK chief M Karunanidhi well

Panneerselvam addressed Karunanidhi as “former Chief Minister and DMK chief,” and said it was his desire that the senior leader should attend the assembly proceedings again by getting well.

In a rare gesture, Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam on Friday wished DMK chief M Karunanidhi well and expressed his desire to see the nonagenarian leader attend House proceedings like he did previously.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi has been inactive in politics for little over a year in view of age-related health issues. (PTI File Photo)

Moving a resolution for adjourning the House sine die, Panneerselvam wished all the members and extended the season’s greetings including for the Pongal harvest festival.

In the same breath, he also addressed Karunanidhi as “former Chief Minister and DMK chief,” and said it was his desire that the senior leader should attend the assembly proceedings again by getting well.

It was very rare for AIADMK and DMK leaders to exchange greetings, notably during the era of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa and when DMK patriarch Karunanidhi was in active politics.

The 93-year old Karunanidhi has been inactive in politics for little over a year in view of age-related health issues.

He was elected to the House for the 13th time in the 2016 Assembly polls. He is the senior most sitting legislator.

He was first elected to the Assembly in 1957 from Kulithalai.

Speaker P Dhanapal too thanked all the members and expressed his greetings to them before adjourning the assembly sine die.

The House met on January eight with the maiden address of Governor Banwarilal Purohit, the first sitting for the calendar year.