Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's birthday celebrations in Chennai yesterday has sent out two clear-cut signals. Of course, the UPA made it a point to use it as an opportunity to display and reiterate its 'strong' unity, in the backdrop of BJP's victory in Karnataka. Sonia personally chose Pranab Mukherjee to represent her in the DMK patriarch's birthday Conference.

WELCOME, BUT DIDN'T TURN UP
The conspicuous absentee at the otherwise grand celebrations was the PMK founder Dr. Ramadoss. Though his party leaders including his Minister-son was personally there to greet the octogenarian leader, Ramadoss did not deem it necessary to call on the DMK Chief. A couple of days back, Ramadoss had in a statement demanded probe into Jayalalitha's allegation about the unchecked flow of foreign funds. "It is a serious allegation which has to be enquired into", he insisted.

TURNED UP, BUT UNWELCOME
Another signal that the birthday celebrations gave out in unambiguous terms is that the Maran brothers, Dayanidhi and Kalanidhi are not welcome back into the family's fold. Mu Ka Azhagiri did succeed in preventing his father from meeting the media-baron and the former Union Minister. To convey their greetings, they waited nearly an hour in the drawing room of the CM's house in CIT Nagar, only to be told that their grand-pa had no time to meet them. And, one of them is still a sitting MP of the party! That is a rude confirmation of the estrangement.