At Marina Beach where M Karunanidhi will be buried, MK Stalin personally goes up and meets the gathered dignitaries seated under a canopy. Every VVIP with the exception of PM Modi, who paid their tributes to the DMK patriarch at Rajaji Hall, are here. There's Rahul Gandhi, Chandrababu Naidu, Ghulam Nabi Azad, the TN governor, Deve Gowda and Derek O' Brien. Stalin held Gowdas hands and spoke to him quietly after which the JD-S leader gestured to Stalin to move on and greet the others. Karunanidhi's family have taken  their seats under the canopy. The cortege has just entered the Marina beach area. Kanimozhi is seated next to Stalin, which puts paid to reports that in the aftermath of Karunanidhi's death, others in the family will stake claim to the throne. 


UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today termed the death of the DMK patriarch as a "personal loss", saying he was like a "father figure" to her and the country has become poorer without his wise statesmanship. In a letter to Karunanidhi's son and DMK chief M K Stalin, Gandhi said 'Kalaignar' was a towering figure in the world of politics and public service in both Tamil Nadu and the country.


IMage: Stalin with Alagiri and his sister Selvi.