Upset over violence, TN CM offers to cancel his jubilee fete

Chennai, May 9 (UNI) Upset over the violent incidents in Madurai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi today offered to cancel the Golden Jubilee celebration, scheduled to be held here on May 11 to mark the completion of his 50 years in the state assembly.

As reports of violence, in protest against a survey published by a Tamil daily about the lines of succession in the ruling DMK were received here, the Chief Minister, who was present in the assembly, convened an emergent meeting at the adjacent ''Vasantha Mandapam'' with leaders of the allies of the ruling DMK. He was closetted with them for about 30 minutes.

Sources said the Chief Minister was very upset and expressed his displeasure over the violence fanned allegedly by some party functionaries and supporters of his son M K Azhagiri, based in Madurai.

The Chief Minister suggested to the alliance party leaders that the function be cancelled.

However, the leaders, pointing out that all arrangements had been made for the function, and urged him to change his mind, and appealed to him that he should not insist on cancelling the function.

A host of national leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Ministers V P Singh, I K Gujral and Union Ministers Lalu Yadav and Sharat Pawar are scheduled to attend the function and offer felicitations to Mr Karunanidhi.

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