Karunanidhi hints at quitting as CM

Karunanidhi has often dropped hints on quitting active politics to concentrate on Tamil literary works and his remarks today have again generated speculation against the backdrop of Assembly elections due in May.

Despite 86-year-old Karunanidhi’s hints on demitting office after the Assembly polls,he has been under pressure from the cadre to continue to remain in office.

The appointment of Karunanidhi’s younger son M K Stalin as Deputy Chief Minister in 2009 was then interpreted in political circles as part of DMK patriarch’s succession plans.

But Karunanidhi has maintained silence in recent months on his retirement plans amidst speculation that his elder son and Union Minister M K Alagiri was seeking a larger role for himself in state politics.

Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister for the first time in 1969 and led the party to victory in 1971,1989,1996 and in 2006 elections.