By IANS
Chennai : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi turned 84 Sunday as party members organised a birthday bash and offered him flowers and gifts.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi sent their greetings Karunanidhi in the morning.
Governor S.S. Barnala, DMK MPs, legislators and leaders of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by union minister Oscar Fernandes also greeted the chief minister.
Thousands of DMK supporters thronged the party headquarters Anna Arivalayam, which was decked up with colourful flags and pictures of Karunanidhi.
In his Gopalapuram house, it was a family affair as his wives, sons M.K. Stalin and M.K. Azhagiri as well as daughter and the party's Rajya Sabha nominee M.K. Kanimozhi posed for photographs with the DMK patriarch.
The chief minister began his day by visiting the memorial of DMK founder C.N. Annadurai on the city's famous Marina beach.
Karunanidhi entered politics at the age of 14 when he joined the Dravida Kazhagam. In 1949, he became a founder member of the DMK.
He was first elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly from Kulithalai near Thanjavur in 1957. He also started a newspaper, Murasoli, which is now the DMK party's official newspaper.
On May 11, Karunanidhi was felicitated in a grand way at a function held in the city for completing 50 years a legislator.
Kanimozhi said on the occasion that she was making a film on her father in collaboration with noted photographer Alphonse Roy.
Later in the day, huge rallies were held in several parts of the city to mark the chief minister's birthday.