Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, the doyen of Dravidian politics is arguably the most prominent atheists. It seems compulsions of real politics are forcing the senior leader to go for an image make over.
In the recent past the chief minister was seen sharing platform with spiritual gurus like Satya Sai Baba and Mata Amritanandamayi and sought their assistance in completing some of the social projects in his state.
A few years back no one could have imagined M Karunanidhi in such close proximity with spiritual leaders like these. He went a step further and equated Satya Sai Baba to God and called Mata Amritanandamayi “a pearl”.
Well, the change in the veteran politician is certainly for a reason.
Mata Amritanandamayi Mutt handed over 450 houses constructed for tsunami affected people of Nagapattinam. Karunanidhi had also sought the Baba’s help for the Rs 1,000 crore project for cleaning the polluted Cooum river in Chennai.
The developmental projects executed by both these spiritual leaders have helped Karunanidhi enhance his own image as a statesman. The veteran politician is playing his cards right and appeasing the majority community in the state.
2 Feb 2007
Dhanya Rajendran
Times Now.tv
http://www.timesnow.tv/An_image_makeover/articleshow/1553157.cms