When DMK leader M. Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister between 2006 and 2011, a big event was organised to release the songs of the film Parasakathi, set to a modern background score. As dancers swayed to some of the songs, the party patriarch, along with Dravidar Kazhagam leader K. Veeramani, watched from the front row.
The Information Minister at the time, Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, requested him to occupy a prominent seat, (‘ thalivare centerukku vaanga ’), but Mr Karunanidhi replied, “ Naan statilay irukkiren. Centre vendam (I am in the State, I don’t want the Centre).”
Today, with opposition parties in a disarray and the ruling BJP seemingly gaining ground across the country, Mr. Karunanidhi’s influence at the Centre is missed more than ever.
The nonagenarian leader, who remained a binding force for the Opposition, is not in the thick of politics. Across parties, though, members see the meeting organised on June 3 to celebrate his 60 years of contribution as an MLA, as a platform for opposition unity.
Beginning in 1957, Mr. Karunanidhi has won all the elections he contested. In 1984, he did not contest the Assembly election and decided to sit in the Legislative Council. He resigned his Assembly seat twice — once in 1983 on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue and again in 1991 when he was the lone DMK member elected to the Assembly.
DMK working president M.K. Stalin has called upon party cadre to make the diamond jubilee celebrations a turning point in Indian politics.
CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury is participating in the meeting, but the State unit of the CPI (M) does not see the event leading to a new alliance formation.
“He is one of the three living senior leaders of Tamil Nadu. While CPI(M) leader N. Sankaraiah and CPI leader R. Nallakannu belong to the Left, Mr. Karunanidhi represents the Dravidian Movement. Mr. Yechury is participating in a function to felicitate a leader who had a great innings as a politician and Chief Minister but it need not lead to a new alliance,” said CPI(M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan.
Initiated into politics when he was just 14, the DMK leader was drawn to the ideas of the Justice Party and Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, even though the East Thanjavur region to which he belongs was the nerve centre of the communist movement and the freedom struggle was at its peak. “I would also have become a communist, had I not seen Periyar,” Mr. Karunanidhi would say often later.
Praise by communists
A historian of the Dravidian Movement, K. Thirunavukkarasu said the conditions that prevailed in Thanjavur and Tiruchi played a major role in his joining the Dravidian Movement. “The Justice Party was very strong in these two areas and vociferously advocated social reforms, while the role of communists was confined to fighting the cause of landless farmers. Moreover, the leaders of the Dravidian Movement spoke a language that struck a chord with the masses,” Mr. Thirunavukkarasu said.
In power, Mr. Karunanidhi implemented schemes that are close to the heart of communists. “He achieved with a drop of ink what we could not with blood,” said communist leader Manali Kandasamy, commenting on the DMK government’s move on land reforms. It was he as Transport Minister who nationalised transport corporations.
As a shrewd strategist, the DMK leader took control of the party after the demise of founder Annadurai, outmanoeuvring university-educated second line leaders, including V.R. Nedunchezhian.
“None could match his organisational skills,” said R. Kannan, biographer of Annadurai. “After Anna, he was able to attract cadre individually and overtake everyone. The only person who posed a formidable challenge was MGR,” he said.
