Our sources in Delhi tell us that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi wants ally and DMK chief M Karunanidhi to be present when the Congress nominee for the Presidential Polls presents his/her nomination papers on June 16 to Returning Officer V K Aghnihotri in Parliament House.

This is what Sonia told Karunanidhi's son and senior DMK leader MK Stalin when he and TR Baalu met her on Wednesday at 10 Janpath.  DMK MPs have also been informally told to be in Delhi all through next week as Karunanidhi may be in the national capital.

Since Karunanidhi is an MLA, he is entitled to sign the nomination papers -- there will be14 sets of nominations papers for a Congress nominee and -- each ally will have a chance to propose the name.

Sonia Gandhi apparently considers Karunanidhi only next to Jyoti Basu and Jawaharlal Nehru as her mentors. It may be recalled that Karunanidhi in 2004 openly declared that Sonia Gandhi was not a foreigner and she stood the best chance to become the Prime Minister. And that, dear reader, is one of the reasons why Sonia respects each other. A feeling Karuna reciprocates.