Kanimozhi’s political anointing comes in the wake of the sensational exit of Dayanidhi Maran from the Union Council of Ministers and more importantly from the DMK politics and the close inner circle.

The party’s high-powered committee met this evening to shortlist the DMK nominees amidst much speculations that Kanimozhi would be one among them. A brief statement after the meeting announced that the committee ‘unanimously’ decided to nominate Kanimozhi and Shiva. Asked if his daughter would be recommended to the Union Council of Ministers, Karunanidhi quipped: “There are already 13 ministers representing the DMK in the Union Council. There is no place for anymore.”

Many senior leaders within the party, and some even in the Congress and brother M K Azhagiri himself, are said to have lobbied for her nomination to the Rajya Sabha. Karunanidhi too, apparently, was keen on his daughter entering politics through Rajya Sabha.

Kanimozhi told The Sunday Express: “Appa (father) greeted me. I was overwhelmed. I just fell at his feet.” She later told reporters: “I am overwhelmed by the confidence that the party and the leaders have in me.” Asked about the likelihood of her being offered a ministerial berth, she said: “I am not open to a Cabinet berth and I don’t think the party will offer it to me either.” While it is now clear that her name, in all likelihood, will not be recommended for inclusion in the Union Council of Ministers as the only vacancy caused by Maran’s exit was filled by Radhika Selvi, now Minister of State for Home, there is a possibility of her induction during the next Cabinet expansion. Terming her nomination as her ‘first step’ into active politics, she said: “I don’t have to become the voice of the party at the Centre. There are enough voices there. I will decide my course of action.”

Asked to comment on the Dayanidhi Maran episode, she said: “Everybody knows what happened. I don’t have to add anything more to that.”