'Sleepless' Karunanidhi wants DMK to unite, avoid discord

Chennai: Are internal feuds rotting the DMK? That is the sense one gets as intra-party rivalries prompted party chief M Karunanidhi to say that factional feuds make him “sleepless” as an atmosphere like this affects the party. “When I go to sleep, such factional feuds engulf me and makes me sleepless,” he said, referring to the turf war between DMK leaders TR Baalu and SS Palanimanickam, a Minister of State for Finance.[caption id=“attachment_499467” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  DMK chief M Karunanidhi. Reuters[/caption] Palanimanickam, who represents Thanjavur parliamentary constituency said on Saturday that Baalu was trying to take credit for projects in his constituency. The 47-km Thanjavur-Pattukottai railway line and the 42-km Mannargudi-Pattukottai rail project, for which a survey is being conducted, appear to have become the bone of contention between Palanimanickam and Baalu, who is also Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways. Noting that Palanimanickam had met him two days ago and explained to him what was happening in his constituency, Karunanidhi said he had advised him to give it in writing to the party leadership. “What is the hurry? Why this interview?… What am I here for? Why do we have a party leadership?” 89-year-old Karunanidhi asked, apparently pulling up Palanimanickam, who openly aired his feelings in Thanjavur. In an emotional letter to the cadres, in the party organ ‘Murasoli,’ Karunanidhi asked, “What can the party cadre do except shed tears in blood, when two senior leaders enjoying party positions fight in the open?” The DMK chief said Palanimanickam had called on him and other senior leaders here last night to explain the reasons behind making such statements to the media. Karunanidhi said party cadres should maintain discipline.