CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday unveiled a 9.5-foot statue of Karl Marx at the Museum-cum-Library campus in Egmore.

The bronze statue, installed at a cost of Rs 85.50 lakh, has been erected at the Connemara Public Library campus adjoining the Government Museum, with the objective of propagating the ideas and philosophy of Karl Marx and fulfilling the demands of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The proposal for the statue was initiated by former CPM State secretary K Balakrishnan, who wrote to the Chief Minister requesting the installation. CM Stalin made a statement accepting the demand in the Assembly.

Sculptor K Karthik, who made the statue, said it took about three months to complete. The Marx statue weighs 1,200 kg and stands 9.5 feet tall. It was made of bronze and finished in a red-stone colour.

Ministers EV Velu, Ma Subramanian and P.K. Sekarbabu were present at the event. Leaders and cadres of DMK alliance parties, including Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam, CPM former secretary K Balakrishnan, CPI state secretary M Veerapandian and VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan also participated.