Karunanidhi will be CM again in 2011, says son

Despite repeated hints by DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi about retiring from active politics, his elder son and Union chemicals and fertilisers minister MK Alagiri today said his father would become the chief minister again in 2011 when the state is due to go to polls.

"Karunanidhi will become chief minister again in 2011," Alagiri told reporters a fortnight after the chief minister gave hints about retiring from politics.

The DMK chief had said on January 15 that he wished to follow in the footsteps of CPI(M) veteran Jyoti Basu, Dravida Kazagham leader, the late Periyar and former South African president Nelson Mandela.

It was the second time in recent weeks that Karunanidhi had indicated about his exit from active politics. He had earlier hinted at quitting active politics after the World Tamil classical conference, slated to be held at Coimbatore in June.

Alagiri, considered DMK's strongman in south Tamil Nadu, said he and his younger brother deputy chief minister MK Stalin "will work like double barrel gun and destroy the enemies in the 2011 elections."

Talking to the media here on his occasion of his 59th birthday today, he said, "We will work in the path shown by our leader Karunanidhi, and make the DMK retain power."