Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Governor S S Barnala telephonically greeted Chief Minister Karunanidhi, whose DMK is a leading partner in the ruling UPA coalition at the centre.

Karunanidhi started the day by placing wreaths on the memorials of his political mentors-social reformer Periyar E V Ramasamy and DMK founder C N Annadurai.

He cut a huge cake at his Gopalapuram residence before proceeding to the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, where he was greeted by scores of his followers.

Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes presented a shawl to him on behalf of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Karunanidhi, in his birthday message, said rivers in the country should be linked to promote national integrity and unity among states and Tamil should become one of the official languages of the nation.

He said these were the DMK's demands and his long time wish. Tamil youths should work for the fulfilment of these demands and people of other states should co-operate for achieving it.

Karunanidhi's grand nephew and former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran, who was in the eye of a political storm recently, was not present in any of the functions organised to celebrate the DMK patriarch's birthday.