Many curious as MK goes to BJP leader’s family function

CHENNAI: In what could set political tongues wagging, DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Saturday evening attended a family wedding reception of Union minister and senior BJP leader Pon Radhakrishnan, and was seen exchanging pleasantries with state BJP leaders and posing for pictures with them.
The visit might seem significant considering that the assembly election is round-the-corner.The wheelchair-bound leader has confined himself to attending party meetings in the last few years, allowing his son, M K Stalin to take political centre-stage. Within a few hours of the marriage ceremony held in a marriage hall in the city, the DMK leader posted pictures of himself with the newly-wed couple, Pon Radhakrishnan and state BJP leaders L Ganesan and Vanathi Srinivasan, in his official Facebook page and received overwhelming response from supporters. Hundreds ‘liked’ the picture and several commented with some even lauding his gesture.
Ganesan, however, refused to add political colour to the visit. “We welcome the DMK leader’s gesture. It is a healthy practice and I expect everyone should follow him. There is no political significance, as such visits are quite natural in other parts of the country,” he told TOI. The DMK leader was present for 15 minutes and exchanged pleasantries with another guest, Governor K Rosaiah. Hours later, his son and DMK treasurer, M K Stalin too dropped in and blessed the couple, after visiting flood-affected areas in his Kolathur constituency. Besides Karunanidhi’s daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, TNCC chief E V K S Elangovan and VCK leader Thol Tirumavalavan attended the ceremony.
State BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan had attended the marriage function of actor Arulnidhi, grandson of Karunanidhi in the month of May.