Karunanidhi: Episodes From The Script

The Dravidian veteran’s influence on Tamil society and politics was unique. He practised realpolitik, masterminded reforms, stayed on course during adversity and played patriarch.

- G.C. Shekhar in chennai

13 times an MLA since 1957

Never lost an election

50 years president of DMK

5 times chief minister

Only chief minister to govern from a wheelchair

IT is an unforgivable irony of old age that Tamil Nadu’s ultimate communicator had to spend his last days in a cocoon of silence. Here was a leader who had influe­nced the course of the state’s politics for over six decades and yet he sat a mute spectator as Tamil Nadu’s polity was plunged into a chaotic roller coaster ride. Even the shrewd scriptwriter in him would not have foreseen two superstars throwing their hats into the political ring, emboldened by his retirement and the demise of his famous rival.

Even as Muthuvel Karunanidhi borrowed one day after another from his hospital bed, his admirers and “udan pirappugal” (brothers and sisters) hoped for a miracle that he would recover and pilot them again, seated on his powered wheelchair. But that was not to be. Karunanidhi’s departure has deprived Tamil Nadu of its most durable and doughty politician who had duelled against half-a-dozen chief ministers— the rivalry against friend-turned-foe MGR and his disciple Jayalalitha being the most memorable.

Karunanidhi was the first politician of the state to start the cult of idol worship of leaders, assiduously and at times shamelessly, promoting his own image to counter the filmi charisma of MGR and later Jayalalitha. He buttressed this with some brilliant oratory, pungent writings on the pages of his party organ Murasoli and tongue-in-cheek interactions with the media. His deep understanding of the Tamil classics, extraordinary memory and recall and the ability to weave a counter-narrative ensured that Karunanidhi could never be ignored by the press and his fellow-politicians.