Stung by the Opposition’s allegations that the DMK chief has amassed huge amounts of wealth in the wake of the 2G spectrum scam revelations, Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi on Wednesday disclosed his entire assets — Rs 6 crore and a house in the heart of Chennai.
Rejecting AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa’s description of him being the richest man in Asia, the CM listed all his acquisitions and earnings since the days he entered the Tamil film industry as a scriptwriter in the mid-1940s.
In an emotive 10-page letter to his party cadres, the 87-year-old DMK patriarch pointed out that his only house in Gopalapuram in central Chennai had been bought for Rs 45,000 from his film industry earnings, much before he first became a minister in 1967. At today’s market prices, the house is said to be worth Rs 4 crore.
“Even my house in Gopalapuram, I have already willed to be converted into a hospital for the poor. Apart from this, I have no other immovable property... nor have I added to any of my acquisitions...” he declared.
“Even my first car, a Vauxhall, was partly funded by industry colleague late NS Krishnan,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Even my first car, a Vauxhall, was partly funded by industry colleague late NS Krishnan,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Regarding his monetary wealth, the CM said, “I possess a sum of Rs 5.65 crore in fixed deposits and R35.90 lakh in my savings bank account.”
NO RIFT WITH CONGRESS
Karunanidhi on Tuesday expressed concern at reports hinting at a rift between his party and the Congress.
His apprehension came at a time when finance minister Pranab Mukherjee sought to scotch speculation that the two allies might part ways. Reports quoted the CM as saying in Vellore that the Congress would suffer a loss if it snapped ties with the DMK. Karunanidhi alleged that the media had quoted him out of context.