A strong advocate of autonomy of the State, DMK’s contempt for Governors is well explained by its founder C.N. Annadurai’s remark:“Aatukku thadium Nattukku Gavarnarum theyvai illai [A goat does not require a beard, nor a State a Governor].” This view, however, didnot come in the way of convention, and the swearing-in ceremony of the first DMK government took place at the Raj Bhavan. Annadurai’s political successors, however, have refused to be shackled by convention and shifted the ceremonies out of the Raj Bhavan.
When elected to power in 1977, AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran took oath at Rajaji Hall. “He even went one step further and took a pledge along with his cabinet colleagues in front of a mammoth crowd assembled near the Anna statue at the arterial Anna Salai after the formal ceremony,”says Dravidian historian K. Thirunavukkarasu. In an emotionally surcharged speech, MGR said: “What we underwent there at Rajaji Hall sometime ago was an official swearing-in ceremony.
But we consider it a great honour to swear by our great leader Anna’s name in your presence.” Annadurai’s biographer R. Kannan, who is now a DMK spokesperson, says iconic figures such as MGR and M. Karunanidhi had to maintain a balance between convention and popular aspiration. “The common man had a sense of belonging to the power centre at Fort St. George only after the DMK came to power. The swearing-in ceremonies outside Raj Bhavan directly related them to power and governance.”
When the DMK came to power in 1989 after a gap of 13 years, Mr. Karunanidhi and his Cabinet took oath at Valluvar Kottam. In 1991, Ms. Jayalalithaa chose Madras University as the venue for the event after a massive victory at the polls that year. However, five years later Mr. Karunanidhi kept the ceremony a low-key affair and brought it back to the Raj Bhavan. Ms. Jayalalithaa followed suit in 2001. But, in 2006 the swearing-in ceremony once again became a public event. At the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Mr. Karunanidhi showcased his government’s commitment to keeping its election promises by signing the order to sell rice for Rs. 2 per kg and waived off farm loans. Ms. Jayalalithaa assumed office in 2011 at a well-attended swearing in ceremony, which was also held at Madras University.
