DMK chief Karunanidhi files nomination

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam patriarch and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Thursday filed his nomination for the April 13 Assembly polls from Tiruvarur, his native town.

Eighty-six-year-old Karunanidhi, accompanied by his sons Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin and Union Minister M K Alagiri, filed his papers before the election officer Jayaraj.

This was the first time in his six-decade long political career that Karunanidhi is contesting from his home turf as Tiruvarur, which became a general constituency in the recent delimitation exercise.

This is the 12th time he is seeking election to the assembly.

The DMK chief had his education in the then District board High School in Tiruvarur and entered public life when he led an anti-Hindi agitation in 1937.

Karunanidhi has never lost an election since 1957 when he made his maiden entry into the electoral battlefield. He was first elected to the Assembly from Kulithalai in Karur district in 1957. In 1962, he won from Thanjavur and in 1967 and 1971, he was elected from  Saidapet in Chennai. He won the Annanagar seat in 1977, 1980.

He represented Harbour constituency in 1989 and 1991 and Chepuak for three terms from 1996.

Before filing the nomination, Karunanidhi paid floral tributes at the memorial of his mother Anjugam at Kaattur village near Tiruvarur, about 20 kms from Nagapattinam.

Soon after filing his papers, he started his campaign seated in a mike-fitted van, appealing to the people to vote for the DMK for continuation of 'good governance'.

Earlier, speaking to reporters he expressed hope that the DMK-led alliance will sweep the polls.

On the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's manifesto containing several freebies, he said it would not impress the people.