A controversy erupted tonight after the Tamil Nadu government rejected the opposition DMK's demand for allotting space on the Marina beach for the burial of Karunanidhi and offered space near the memorials of former Chief Ministers C Rajagopalachari and K Kamaraj.

DMK chief Karunanidhi with Dravidar Kazhagam President Veeramani

Chennai:

DMK working president MK Stalin has again filed a petition requesting the government to allot land near Anna square to bury the DMK patriarch.

Setting the stage for a courtroom drama, the DMK moved the Madras High Court against the government's decision and Acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh is likely to hold a special hearing at his residence at 10.30 p.m tonight.

DMK working president MK Stalin, recalling the long public life of Karunanidhi, had written to Chief Minister K Palaniswami seeking space inside the mausoleum complex of the departed leader's mentor C N Annadurai at the Marina.

Stalin also met the chief minister hours before his father's death.

A government statement said it was "unable to allot space at Marina beach owing to several pending cases in the Madras High Court and legal complications."

Hence, the government is prepared to allot a two-acre site on Sardar Patel Road near the memorials to Rajaji and Kamaraj, it said.

TN CM Edappadi K Palaniswami also mentioned that due to ongoing legal battle for land on Kamarajar Promenade at Marina Beach Road, they will be unable to allot land for the burial of late former CM M Karunanidhi. 

Some reports said the government was reluctant about allotting space for Karunanidhi's burial at the Marina as he was not a sitting chief minister.

Former chief minister MG Ramachandran and his protegee J Jayalalitha were buried at the Marina beach and memorials to them were erected there. Both were bitter foes of Karunanidhi in politics.