DMK chief M Karunanidhi today wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking conferment of "Bharat Ratna" for party founder CN Annadurai. (File photo)
DMK chief M Karunanidhi today wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking conferment of "Bharat Ratna" for party founder CN Annadurai.
The DMK president said that 'politics wants Mr Annadurai conferred with the award during the ensuing Republic Day. "Mr Annadurai fully deserves the highest civilian award. He was a great social reformer, writer, orator and Litterateur," he said.
A great orator, script writer, theatre personality and journalist, Mr Annadurai was drawn towards Periyar EV Ramasamy. Though he joined the Dravidar Kazhagam, one of the first Dravidian parties in India and grew in stature, differences with his mentor led to his exit from the party.
He then launched the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), spearheading the anti-Hindi agitation and becoming the first Dravidian chief minister of Tamil Nadu in 1967 after a landslide victory.
He died in two years into office after which Mr Karunandhi became the chief minister of the state.