The Old Mahabalipuram Road, which has come to be known as the IT corridor, will be named after late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi announced here on  Monday.
Speaking at a function to celebrate the 64th birth anniversary of Mr Gandhi, organised by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, Mr Karunanidhi acceded to the request made in this regard by PCC chief M Krishnaswamy to commemorate the leader who ushered in the telecom revolution in the 1980s.
It was Mr Karunanidhi’s first visit to Sathyamurthi Bhavan, TNCC headquarters, or to any party office for that matter, in his 70-year-long political career.
Decrying the media hype over the visit, Mr Karunanidhi said this was not the first occasion when he had associated himself with Congress leaders in paying tributes to Mr Gandhi. He recalled accompanying Mrs Sonia Gandhi to Sriperumpudur and paying homage at the memorial to the leader who was killed by a human bomb in May 1991.
Mr Karunanidhi was accompanied on his visit to Sathyamurthi Bhavan by State Ministers M K Stalin and Arcot Veerasamy. Top Congress leaders like legislature party chief V Sudarsanam, former member of Parliament Era Anbarasu and others were also present.
 Later, at another commemorative function at the State Secretariat, Mr Karunanidhi administered communal amity pledge to staff.