Karunanidhi greets Sonia at the felicitation. (PTI)

Chennai, May 11: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tonight hinted that he would want Dayanidhi Maran to stay on in the Union cabinet.

Speculation was rife that M. Karunanidhi was under pressure to seek the IT and communications minister’s resignation in the wake of the Madurai violence.

“Tamil Nadu needs you. India needs you. We all (in the UPA) need you to guide us as we march forward. Long live Dr Kalaignar Karunanidhi,” Singh told a rally celebrating the DMK leader’s 50 years in the Assembly.

The Prime Minister did not make any reference to the Madurai violence triggered by a succession strife. But Singh’s impassioned appeal to Karunanidhi for guidance was interpreted as an oblique request not to rock the UPA boat by insisting on Dayanidhi’s removal.

The golden jubilee could not mask the growing gulf between Karunanidhi’s family and the Marans — Kalanidhi and the Union minister.

Dayanidhi received the Prime Minister and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who came for the programme, at the airport today, but stayed away from Karunanidhi’s felicitation gala. He also did not attend the event at the Assembly earlier in the day.

The chief minister’s eldest son M.K. Azhagiri, however, turned up.

Two days ago, a succession row led to an attack — allegedly by Azhagiri’s supporters — on the Madurai office of Dinakaran as well as those of its sister publication Tamil Murasu and Sun TV, a part of the media network headed by Kalanidhi.

The Tamil daily owned by the Marans had published an opinion poll that placed Karunanidhi’s younger son M.K. Stalin ahead of his brother Azhagiri in the race.

At the rally, the Prime Minister talked about issues highlighted by the DMK boss earlier — interlinking of rivers, the OBC quota and reservation for women in Parliament — and expressed hope that a “pragmatic and just solution” would be found after consulting all UPA members.

“Karunanidhiji’s name will forever be written in gold in the history of Tamil Nadu and the history of our nation,” said Singh.

Sonia, too, was effusive i her praise for the “great son” of Tamil Nadu. She spoke of Karunanidhi’s contribution to the development of the country and the state and pointed out that he had won every election in the state since 1957.

Under his leadership, the DMK “has shown admirable pragmatism and flexibility”, she added.

Sonia and Singh had a chat with Karunanidhi before leaving for Delhi. Sources said the Dayanidhi issue and presidential polls could have figured in the talks.

The success of Mayavati, whose party has more electoral college votes now, in Uttar Pradesh is expected to have a fallout on the polls. The name of Sushil Kumar Shinde was doing the round as a probable candidate but Mayavati is unlikely to agree to another Dalit power centre.