Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unscheduled visit to DMK’s nonagenarian president M. Karunanidhi’s Gopalapuram residence yesterday, thus setting off rumorus in political circles in the State as to what could have been the ‘actual reason’ behind the visit other than Karunanidhi’s ill-health and Modi’s concern for him.

Modi arrived in Chennai yesterday morning to take part in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Dina Thanthi, which was founded in 1942 by Sivanthi Adithanar.  After attending the function and making a brief appearance at the marriage ceremony of a party functionary, Modi drove straight to the Gopalapuram residence of the DMK president to call on him in view of the continuing ill-health of the veteran leader.

It may be recalled that DMK’s working president M.K. Stalin has been highly critical of the BJP-ruled Centre in its handling of the AIADMK crisis, NEET exam, farmers’ issue, etc. Stalin reportedly sought an appointment with the Prime Minister to discuss about many issues but his request was not acceded to by the Prime Minister’s Office. Modi was accompanied by Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Ministers Nirmala Seetharaman and Pon Radhakrishnan and State BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan.

Stalin and his half-sister and DMK’s high-profile Rajya Sabha M.P. Kanimozhi welcome Modi at the entrance by draping him with silk shawls. Modi’s meeting with Karunanidhi, who hadn’t yet started to converse for more than an year now, lasted 15 minutes during when Karunandhi presented to Modi the special souvenir of party organ ‘Murasoli’. Before leaving Modi invited Karunanidhi to come to his New Delhi residence and take some much-needed rest.