Date:26/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/26/stories/2007072659880800.htm

New Delhi

Karunanidhi meets Pratibha, Manmohan

J. Venkatesan

Attends the swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi

— Photo: DIPR

CONGRATULATING HER: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, his wife Rajathi Ammal (right) and daughter Kanimozhi, MP, with President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi on Wednesday.

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, on a visit to the capital, attended the swearing-in of Pratibha Patil as the first woman President.

He called on her at Rashtrapathi Bhavan in the evening and it was described as a courtesy call.

Earlier Mr. Karunanidhi called on Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her residence and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence.

In the morning the UPA-Left Vice Presidential nominee Hamid Ansari met Mr. Karunanidhi at Tamil Nadu House and thanked him for the support in the election. Talking to reporters, he said “I came here to meet Mr. Karunanidhi to seek his guidance and blessings.” Asked about his prospects in the August 10 election, he said it was too early to say anything.

Soon after this meeting, Mr. Karunanidhi visited the residence of Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and conveyed his birthday greetings to him. The Speaker acknowledged the gesture by saying “it is good of a tall leader like Mr. Karunanidhi” to bless him on his birthday.