Why does Karuna wear a yellow shawl: Vijayakanth

Accusing Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam president M Karunanidhi of trying to create confusion in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led front, actor-politician Vijaykant has said Jayalalithaa would be the chief minister of Tamil Nadu if the party-led combine was voted to power in the April 13 assembly elections.

Addressing a series of election meetings in the district, Vijayakanth, whose Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam is the second largest constituent of the AIADMK-led front, on Friday night said the alliance would sweep the polls and Jayalalithaa would become the chief minister.

"Karunanidhi is making such remarks to create confusion in the AIADMK-led alliance," he charged.

He was referring to Karunanidhi's remarks at an election meeting on Thursday that while his allies had pledged their unconditional support to make him the chief minister for the sixth time, there was no clarity on who would head the government if the AIADMK-led front was voted to power.

Questioning the rationalist credentials of Karunanidhi, Vijayakanth sought to know why the DMK patriarch always sported a yellow shawl and a stone-studded ring.

"Karunanidhi claims that he is a true follower of (rationalist leader) Thanthai Periyar (E V Ramasamy) but he has been wearing the yellow shawl and the ring. Why is he doing so? He should remove them immediately if he is a real rationalist and a sincere follower of Periyar," the DMDK founder said.

Periyar, founder of Dravida Kazhagam, fought for promoting social justice and a rational outlook through his self-respect movement in the state.

Vijayakanth expressed confidence that the people would put an end to the 'family rule' of Karunanidhi in the polls.

The DMDK leader, who has fought the earlier polls on his own since floating the party in 2005, said, "MGR (late chief minister M G Ramachandran) is my guru and so I preferred an alliance with the AIADMK founded by him."