DMK chief M Karunanidhi, a colossus in Tamil Nadu politics, poet, columnist and script writer, who left an indelible imprint on the state's public life for over five decades, died today, setting the stage for a late-night courtroom drama over where he shall be buried.

The 94-year-old leader breathed his last at the Kauvery Hospital in downtown Chennai at 6.10 p.m after waging a grim battle for life for 11 days, the hospital said.

He had not made any public appearance for about two years due to failing health.

Within minutes of Karunanidhi's death, a huge row erupted after the state's AIADMK government rejected the demand of the DMK, its long-standing political rival in state politics, for land on the famed sands of the Marina beach where he could be buried.

This led Congress president Rahul Gandhi to tweet that that he deserved to be given a burial at Marina Beach. He wrote on Twitter: “Like Jayalalitha ji, Kalaignar was an expression of the voice of the Tamil people. That voice deserves to be given space on Marina Beach. I am sure the current leaders of Tamil Nadu will be magnanimous in this time of grief. #Marina4Kalaignar”

This however led BJP to remind Rahul Gandhi of his mother’s not-to-kind treatment of former PM PVN Narasimha Rao.

BJP IT Cell head Amit Maliva reminded Rahul Gandhi: “Only an irresponsible leader will inflame passions when people are grieving & emotions are running high. That reminds us of the magnanimity shown by Sonia Gandhi when she didn’t allow mortal remains of PVN Rao to be kept at AICC let alone be given a ceremonial cremation in Delhi.”

Like Jayalalitha ji, Kalaignar was an expression of the voice of the Tamil people. That voice deserves to be given space on Marina Beach. I am sure the current leaders of Tamil Nadu will be magnanimous in this time of grief. #Marina4Kalaignar — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 7, 2018

Only an irresponsible leader will inflame passions when people are grieving & emotions are running high. That reminds us of the magnanimity shown by Sonia Gandhi when she didn’t allow mortal remains of PVN Rao to be kept at AICC let alone be given a ceremonial cremation in Delhi. https://t.co/6hyNFHlkKs — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 7, 2018

What happened between Sonia Gandhi and PVN Rao?

In his book, former union minister Natwar Singh wrote Sonia and Rao had strained relations, Rao even calling Singh to claim that he was ‘insulted’ by her speech about Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination probe in 1991.

He wrote: “That was why Sonia, who was not close to Rao, pointed an accusing finger at the government. Aggrieved about the inordinate delay in the Rajiv's assassination probe, she asked if the investigation related to the killing of a former prime minister was to take so much time, what would be the fate of ordinary citizens who fights for justice?" Thomas says it could not be construed in a simplistic way as a statement against the slow pace of the process of meting out justice. Congress was in power, a broadside from Sonia was indeed a censure of Narasimha Rao.”

Sonia Gandhi even believed that until Rao remained in power, there would be no headway into the probe into Rajiv Gandhi’s death.

Meanwhile, veteran Congress leader Margaret Alva wrote in her book Courage and Commitment: “His body was even not let into the AICC compound. Gun carriage was parked on the pavement outside the gate. Whatever the differences were, he was the PM, he had been Congress president, he was Chief Minister, he was party general secretary. When a man is dead you do not treat him that way.”

Rao it appears, wasn’t thrilled by the continuing dependence on the Nehru-Gandhi family. In Arjun Singh’s autobiography, the leader wrote: "Suddenly, he (Rao) burst out in anger and virtually yelled out words to the effect that whether it was essential that the Congress Party should be treated like a train where the compartments have to be attached to an engine belonging to the Nehru-Gandhi family or were there other alternatives? I was dumbfounded by Rao's outburst but kept quiet.”

With inputs from PTI