NEW DELHI: Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth on Monday slammed Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palanisamy for not being present during the final rites of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ( DMK ) patriarch M Karunanidhi .

Asking if the CM considered himself bigger than Karunanidhi or Jayalalithaa , Rajinikanth said, "While all the important leaders were present at Marina beach to pay last respects to Kalaignar Karunanidhi, why did the Tamil Nadu CM not come? Is he bigger than Kalaignar or Jayalalithaa?"

According to some news reports, chief minister Palinisamy had spoken to Karunanidhi's son Stalin to extend his condolences.

The AIADMK-led government was earlier criticised for denying space to the five-term chief minister of Tamil Nadu at Marina beach where former chief minister Annadurai, MGR and Jayalalithaa are buried.

Karunanidhi passed away on August 7 after multiple organ failure due to prolonged illness at the age of 94. Politicians across party lines, inlcuding PM Modi, had flown to Chennai to pay their last respects to the DMK patriarch.

