Chennai, June 3: The 81st birthday celebrations of M. Karunanidhi today took the shape of jubilation over the Lok Sabha polls triumph — both of the DMK in the state and the coalition he had helped spawn in Delhi.

The events of the day boosted his stature as a senior leader, not just of the United Progressive Alliance. While Congress president Sonia Gandhi despatched home minister Shivraj Patil to convey her wishes, Karunanidhi’s erstwhile partners — Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K Advani of the BJP — also greeted him.

With other leaders like MDMK chief Vaiko, PMK boss S. Ramadoss and V.P. Singh by his side, Patil said he had come as the envoy of Sonia and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to wish Kalaignar a “very long and healthy life”.

He was carrying another important message: the Congress-led coalition’s success hinged on “understanding and mutual respect” among the allies.

Speaking at a glittering rally on the Island Grounds here tonight, he said for the promises in the common code to be fulfilled, “we need to function hand-in-hand with all the parties which have joined the government and others who have agreed to support us”.

Describing Karunanidhi is “a most experienced and effective national leader”, Patil added that his vision and experience ensured that “solution to any political or other problem was on his fingertips”.

Karunanidhi, on his part, hinted at the gift he would love best: a solution to the Cauvery issue.

V.P. Singh paid warm tributes, hailing the DMK chief’s “historic role” in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls by deciding to support the Congress to defeat the “divisive, communal forces”. “I salute one of the senior-most and tallest leaders of this country,” he added.

The tone of the eulogies by Vaiko, Ramadoss and Left leaders R. Nallakannu and . Varadarajan were similar, with praises for his contribution to the national scene and his stature as a “reliable political ally” in Delhi.

In the morning, the Prime Minister rang him up. “Your political journey of over six decades has indeed largely shaped the destiny of Tamil Nadu from its nascent days…Your contribution to the development of the Tamil language has impressed me…,” Manmohan Singh said.

For three years, Karunanidhi had not observed his birthday. Expectedly, celebrations at the DMK headquarters knew no bounds. Hundreds of supporters poured in since morning to greet their leader with garlands and gifts after he had cut a huge cake shaped as the Parliament House.

The most striking gift came from the party youth wing of Tiruvannamalai district. Its members came in bearing 81 plates, each loaded with delicacies, just as wedding day gifts are presented to a bride. They also carried two silver lamps.