Karunanidhi gets New Year greetings from Sonia Gandhi

CHENNAI: A week after DMK chief M Karunanidhi and other senior leaders lashed out at Congress for betraying its interests and that of Tamils, AICC president Sonia Gandhi sent him her greetings for the New Year. The DMK chief had gone a step further during its general council meeting on December 14 to categorically rule out an alliance with Congress for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

DMK sources said Karunanidhi returned Sonia's New Year greetings. "Mrs Gandhi sent a letter to Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) in which she has wished him and his family members for the New Year. Our leader too greeted Mrs Gandhi and her family members," a senior DMK leader said.

"The new year greeting is significant as she has taken a positive move even after DMK strongly criticized Congress on many issues," the DMK leader added.

Also significant is that the fact that Sonia Gandji's greetings comes soon after Karunanidhi praised Narendra Modi as a good person. However, a senior DMK leader, who is a close associate of Karunanidi, said the greetings held no political significance. "Even after we pulled out of the UPA government in March this year, both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi greeted Kalaingar on his birthday on June 3 over phone," said a source.