Kanimozhi, Siva DMK nominees for Rajya Sabha

The 39-year-old poet-daughter will be the second member from Karunanidhi's family to enter RS after the late Murasoli Maran.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi's 39-year-old poet-daughter Kanimozhi was named as one of the party's nominees for the June 15 Rajya Sabha polls from the state on Saturday.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of top DMK leaders at the party headquarters "Anna Arivalayam" in Chennai.

Tiruchi N Siva, a former Lok Sabha member from Pudukkottai, was the other nominee, Karunanidhi told reporters after the meeting.

Asked whether Kanimozhi would be recommended for inclusion in the Union Cabinet, he said "Already, there are 13 members in the Cabinet from Tamil Nadu.I don't think there is space for one more."

Asked what was the reason for his daughter's entry into active politics, he quipped "politics is the reason". It has been a steady rise for Kanimozhi, from a homemaker to a poet, to an organiser of a grand cultural fete 'Chennai Sangamam' and to a Rajya Sabha member.

She will be the second member from Karunanidhi's family to enter the Rajya Sabha after the DMK chief's nephew the late Murasoli Maran. She had short stint as a journalist in The Hindu.

HT Image

Tiruchi Siva is the secretary of the party's student wing.