On Monday afternoon when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a stopover at DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi’s house in Gopalapuram, which was a last-minute inclusion in his itinerary, there were hardly any signs of the visit of a VVIP as it lacked the usual security trappings.
Barring the presence of party cadres of the DMK, the BJP and the media persons there was nothing extraordinary in the vicinity that suggested the arrival of Mr. Modi. Only the road leading to the residence was closed and traffic moved smoothly in other lanes of Gopalapuram that linked it with the arterial roads.
Mr. Modi, accompanied by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit and BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan, was received by DMK working president M.K. Stalin.
Ms. Soundararajan said the Prime Minister, after meeting Mr. Karunanidhi, also inquired about the health condition of his wife Dayalu Ammal. “She could identify the Prime Minister and declared that it was Mr. Modi,” the BJP leader said.
Mr. Karunanidhi’s daughter and DMK MP Kanimozhi said the Prime Minister thoroughly enjoyed his visit and shared some lighter moments with her and Mr. Stalin.
After the visit, Mr. Karunanidhi was brought to the corridor of the house to greet hundreds of party cadres and leaders who had assembled in front of his residence. On seeing him wave at them, they went into a frenzy repeatedly shouting slogans of “Kalaignar vaazhga” (Long live Karunanidhi).
