Rajinikanth's spiritual plank not for 'Dravidian cradle' Tamil Nadu: Stalin Edit

Asked if Rajinikanth sought the DMK's support, he said such things could be decided only during elections

DMK working president M K Stalin has said Tamil Nadu was the cradle of the Dravidian movement, where there was no place for spiritual politics as enunciated by superstar Rajinikanth.

He made the remark just after the top star called on his father and DMK chief M Karunanidhi at his residence here, days after announcing his entry into politics.

Citing Rajinikanth's assertion of "spiritual politics", Stalin told reporters here yesterday that Tamil Nadu was the cradle of the Dravidian movement.

"Some are creating an impression that Rajinikanth is to launch a party at the instigation of people who intend to decimate the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu.

"Let me tell you this is the land of Periyar Anna (Dravidar Kazhagam founder E V Ramasamy Periyar) and Kalaignar (Karunanidhi)... such efforts in the past have ended in a fiasco," he said.

Asked if Rajinikanth sought the DMK's support, he said such things could be decided only during elections.

Announcing his political debut on December 31 last year, Rajinikanth batted for honesty in politics and good governance.

He said "everything needs to be changed" and declared that "spiritual politics" needs to be ushered in with transparency, sans shades of any caste or religion.

Stalin said the actor calling on Karunanidhi was nothing new and that he had called on the nonagenarian leader some months ago to enquire about his health.

Actor Vijayakanth too had called on Karunanidhi and sought his blessings before launching his party, the DMK leader said. (more)

Tamil Nadu: Blow for Karunanidhi family's business interests?

Tamil Nadu: Blow for Karunanidhi family's business interests?

Thursday’s state election results are likely to make the fortunes for some businesses and mar for some others. The biggest and most prominent loser of the day was from the family of DMK chief M Karunanidhi. On the day of the results, the Sun TV stock lost Rs 2,229 crore in market value. Its market capitalisation fell from Rs 16,845 crore at its close on Thursday to Rs 14,616 crore at the end of the day. By virtue of his 75 per cent holding, DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s grandnephewKalanithi Maran would take three-fourths of that hit.

This notional loss could be an indicator of the bad news in store for the family’s business interests that extend beyond media. While Maran was among the first in the family to get into organised business through his venture into broadcast media in the early 1990s, there were others who have followed in his footsteps. After a brief break-up in relations with the Marans, Karunanidhi’s immediate family members floated Kalaignar TV in 2007. At the time Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal owned 60 per cent, while his daughter Kanimozhi owned 20 per cent. Karunanidhi’s grandsons, from his sons Stalin and Azhagiri have also built interests in a range of businesses from real estate to movies to granite mining.

The management of Sun TV has often maintained that its business is independent of the government in power, but the market seems to be understanding it differently. A second term of the AIADMK could prove to be tougher for the family as it does not have the cushion of a friendly regime at the Centre. Read more.