Several chief ministers and political leaders paid tribute to late DMK chief M Karunanidhi at the Rajaji Hall in Chennai today. Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and senior party leader Prakash Karat, CPI national secretary D Raja, former chief ministers of Kerala and Uttar Pradesh, Oommen Chandy and Akhilesh Yadav respectively, among other leaders paid homage to the departed leader. Kerala Governor P Sathasivam accompanied Vijayan and Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala. "He was a tall political leader of our country and a very good administrator. When he was a chief minister, he was very considerate towards Kerala and Keralites. I remember our good relationship," Chandy said.


Also, those from the Tamil film fraternity paid tribute to the departed DMK patriarch. Writer and lyricist Vairamuthu broke down while speaking to reporters as he quoted a poem written by Karunanidhi after Periyar E V Ramasamy's demise. "Can we accept destruction of Taj Mahal just because it is an old structure? Just like what Karunanidhi wrote for Periyar's demise, we cannot accept the fact that Kalaignar is no more," he said.


Image: Writer and lyricist Vairamuthu broke down as he consoled MK Stalin