Karunanidhi retirement announcement takes DMK by surprise

Chennai, Dec 6 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi took the state and his DMK party by surprise Saturday announcing his retirement post World Classical Tamil Conference to be held in Coimbatore in June.

Addressing a meeting organised by community organisation Arundathi Makkal Katchi, 85-year-old Karunanidhi said: "After the construction of new assembly complex, inaugurating of Anna Centenary Library and World Classical Tamil Conference I will be one amongst you shorn of ministerial trappings."

According to him, the above three are his unfinished agenda after completing several goals in public life.

The meeting was organised to thank Karunanidhi for providing three percent reservation for the Arundathiyars.

The announcement took the party by surprise as many party leaders were seen intensely discussing amongst themselves on hearing him.

The announcement is expected to hasten changes in internal equations within the DMK party.

It was in May 2009 that Karunanidhi elevated his son M.K. Stalin and cabinet colleague as the deputy chief minister allocating most the portfolios handled by him.

In the recent times Karunanidhi has been staying away from poll campaign which is now taken care by Stalin, his elder brother and union Minister Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister M.K. Alagiri.