Keep celebrations low-key: Stalin to cadres ahead of birthday

CHENNAI: Ahead of his 70th birthday, Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister MK Stalin has written a note to DMK cadres urging them to keep his birthday celebrations low-key and make sure the party's image is not tarnished.

In the note, Stalin recalled how the condolence meeting of Russian Communist leader Joseph Stalin and his birth coincided. "On March 1, 1953, was a special day for Dayalu Ammal, the message was sent as a note to my father (M Karunanidhi), who always kept public life above personal life, he was in the condolence meeting of Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin. Just when he came to know I was born, he named me Stalin," the Chief Minister said.

Stalin went on to add how his public life was rife with criticisms and said that he learned from Karunanidhi that "public life is not a recreational park but a ceaseless battlefield". He added saying that this realisation prepared him for politics.

Stalin heaped praises on the rank and file of DMK for their hard work and determination in the Erode East by-poll campaign. He said his night calls to booth representatives cheered them up.

He urged his cadres to hoist the bicoloured party flag, raise slogans of the five Dravidian ideals, feed the poor and present porkizhi. He took a vow to make Tamil Nadu the number one State in India and preserve India's plurality.

The Dravidian leader's 70th birthday celebrations would take place in YMCA ground in Nandanam with Minister Duraimurugan and MP TR Baalu presiding over.

Guests for the event include Jammu Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Bihar Deputy CM and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav.

Gold rings to new-born, saplings to farmers, blood donation camps, hosting community baby shower events, assistance, including providing notebooks to students, community lunch, eye care service by holding eye camps are among the many dozens of state-wide events that are being organised by the DMK to celebrate the Stalin’s birthday.

(With bureau inputs)