In another example of rising above bitter political rivalry, DMK working president and Leader of Opposition, MK Stalin wished Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on his birthday and also greeted him on the occasion of Pongal and Tamil New Year.
“I telephoned the respected CM O Panneerselvam and wished him for his 66th birthday, Pongal and Tamil New Year. I also expressed my wishes for the betterment of his public life and for him to lead a long life in service of the people,” wrote Stalin on his Facebook page on Saturday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also wished Panneerselvam over the phone and also conveyed his greeting for Pongal.
Governor Vidyasagar Rao conveyed his "heartiest greetings and best wishes," to Panneerselvam along with a bouquet of flowers on his birthday.
Both the DMK and AIADMK have in the last few months chosen to rise above the vendetta politics that has governed Dravidian politics the last three decades. While Stalin visited late Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa at Apollo Hospital on October 8, the ‘courtesy call’ was returned by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai and MLA D Jayakumar when DMK chief M Karunanidhi was ailing in hospital last month.
Following Jayalalithaa’s demise on December 5, DMK leaders including Stalin and Kanimozhi paid their respects to her at the Rajaji Hall, where her body lay in state. An emotional crowd, mostly made up of ardent Jayalalithaa supporters were so touched by Stalin honouring their leader that they broke out into spontaneous applause.
On the field, however, the two Dravidian heavyweights continue to spar. On Friday, the DMK had staged a state-wide protest demanding that the ban on jallikattu be lifted. Stalin had even blamed the Centre and the State government for failing to get the nod from the Supreme Court.
The ruling AIADMK, however, blames the Karunanidhi government, noting that it was its ally the Congress that had included bulls into the list of banned performing animals.