Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, is currently admitted in the hospital in Chennai due to decline in his health. The 94-year-old veteran politician has led an interesting life. From screenwriter to the Chief Minister, here a timeline of his journey.
Born on June 3, 1924 at Thirukkuvalai in the Tanjore District, Karunanidhi came from a humble and poor family.
Karunanidhi started his career as a screenwriter in the Tamil film industry. He usually used to write historical and social (reformist) stories.
The movie had elements that criticised Brahmanism, because of which many orthodox Hindus opposed it. Two of his plays were banned in 1950s because they carried strong social messages.
At the age of 14, Karunanidhi entered politics. He began a student organisation called Tamil Nadu Tamil Manavar Mandram.
He also started a newspaper, Murasoli for the student community which later became the official paper of DMK party.
In 1957, he was elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly fromKulithalai assembly.
In 1961, he became the DMK treasurer and in 1962 he became the opposition’s deputy leader in the state assembly.
When the DMK came to power in 1967, he became the Minister for Public Works.
After the death of CN Annadurai in 1969, Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
In the 1996 elections, the DMK-led-front won the election and its leader M. Karunanidhi, became the chief minister for the fourth time.
In the 1991 elections, AIADMK ousted DMK and Karunanidhi was the sole DMK candidate to have been returned after the electoral battle. He, too, resigned in disgust.
In 2001, Karunanidhi was arrested for alleged corruption in the construction of ten flyovers in Chennai.
In 2006, he became the Chief Minister for the fifth time.
He has been married three times and has six children.
DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, on July 27th, he became the first leader to enter the 50th year as president of the party.
