Date:01/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/01/stories/2008070155360300.htm

Kerala

Karunakaran celebrates 90th birthday

Staff Reporter

K. Karunakaran says he is happy to return to the Congress.

Guruvayur: Senior Congress leader K. Karunakaran was on Monday joined by other party leaders and hundreds of supporters at his 90th birthday celebrations here. Looking frail, but energetic, he said, “I thank Lord Guruvayurappan for all that he has given me. I am happy and contented.”

TV cameras whirred and mediapersons jostled to pick up his words, barely audible. There were smiles all around, but Mr. Karunakaran, one of the shrewdest politicians of the State, did not miss the opportunity to get across a message he wanted to: “I am happy about having returned to the Congress, but not about the manner in which my supporters are being treated.”

He visited the Guruvayur Sreekrishna Temple in the morning, offered plantains to the deity, recited the Jnanappana and the Narayaneeyam, and offered ‘thulabharam’ with 59 kg of jaggery. He also visited the Mammiyur Mahadeva Temple. His daughter Padmaja Venugopal accompanied him. The District Congress Committee organised elaborate birthday celebrations at the Maharaja Auditorium and threw a party in his honour. About 2,000 people attended the party. Mr. Karunakaran cut a huge cake and offered the first piece to KPCC treasurer C. N. Balakrishnan.

Mr. Karunakaran’s son and Nationalist Congress Party State president K. Muraleedharan did not take part in the celebrations. But his children Sabari Nath and Arun Narayanan did. Several leaders called on Mr. Karunakaran at the guest house he stayed in. They included Union Minister of State for Defence Pallam Raju, AICC secretary Tom Vadakkan, former Minister P. Sankaran, Rajmohan Unnithan, K. P. Viswanathan, Kodoth Govindan Nair and T. V. Chandramohan. Defence Minister A. K. Antony conveyed his birthday wishes to Mr. Karunakaran over telephone.