Muthuvel Karunanidhi, who reigned over Tamil Nadu politics for nearly half a century, made his political debut when he was just 14 years, and became one of the founding leaders of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam when he was just 25. At 33, he was elected as MLA. He also set the record of being the youngest leader to become chief minister of Tamil Nadu when he was 45, in the year 1969.
“Naan oru thadavei sonna nooru thadavei sonna mathiri...” is a famous Rajnikanth movie dialogue, meaning “What I say once is like saying it a hundred times.” It was Karunanidhi who implemented it in real life. He departs after leaving an indelible mark on both Tamil Nadu and Indian politics.
The entire Tamil people would answer when Karunanidhi calls out “En uyirukkum melana anpu udanpirapukale,” which means “Loving siblings who are dearer to me than my own life.” Kalaignar would dissolve all protests with that address. The only other leader who had addressed Tamilians so emotionally was MGR: “En rathathin rathamana anpu thozharkale,” or “My dear friends, who are blood of blood to me.”
The DMK's trump card was the plans hatched in the Dravidian patriarch's brain.
Orator-writer
Karunanidhi was a powerful orator who knew the depths of the Tamil language. It was only natural that the poet-script writer had an amazing mastery over the language. He knew Thirukkural by heart. It used to spring up in his speeches whenever he wanted. Karunanidhi has written over 200 books, including the Tamil translation of Maxim Gorky's 'Mother.'
Shrewd family man
Tutored in politics under Annadurai and Periyar, Karunanidhi confronted Kamaraj, MGR and Jayalalithaa in his own political battles. He fell sometimes, but rebounded with manyfold force. His handling of disputes that nearly split his family a few years ago was an example of his shrewdness and manoeuvring skill that age and ill-health could not inhibit.
It was obvious many years back that the DMK patriarch was grooming his younger son M K Stalin as successor. He had kept his elder sons Muthu and Alagiri at a distance. Alagiri was shunted out to Madurai to oversee the party's southern district operations. When a survey conducted by grandnephew Kalanidhi Maran's “Dinakaran” newspaper projected Stalin as the most favoured successor, it sparked violence and riots triggered by Alagiri supporters. As things looked beyond control, Karunanidhi saved his own family by abandoning loyal grandnephews Kalanidhi and Dayanidhi.
Public love for 'Tigers'
Karunanidhi has never hidden his passion for Sri Lankan Tamils. He grabbed headlines saying LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is a friend. It had been reported that Prabhakaran had met Karunanidhi several times. Karunanidhi resigned as MLA for the first time in 1983 for the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils, alleging that the government is not addressing their issue seriously enough. He has also been jailed for having expressed sympathy with Sri Lankan Tamils.
An ad issued in newspapers when Karunanidhi marked the golden jubilee of his membership of the state assembly ran like this: “Kalignar is not just a political leader. He is a thinker, incomparable orator, writer, poet, playwright, editor, publisher, painter, diplomat, skillful politician, economic expert, and a humanist beyond comparison.”
14 years in jail, midnight arrest
Karunanidhi had most of his reading and writing behind bars. He had been jailed for a total of 14 years for various reasons like agitation against renaming of railway stations, Tamil solidarity, anti-inflation stir etc. His midnight arrest by the Jayalalithaa government on June 29, 2001 shook the national consciousness. Then Union ministers Murasoli Maran and T R Baalu were also arrested. M K Stalin surrendered before a magistrate.
The Chennai Corporation Commissioner had filed a complaint at 9 pm, and the arrests followed within four hours. Karunanidhi was dragged out of his bedroom by the police who had entered his house after snapping telephone connections. He also fell down as he was being taken.
The action drew protests, including from then prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Even the court observed that Jayalalithaa had abused her power.
Family concern
Karunanidhi was successful in elections and in sharing of power within the family, but was in a dilemma over the confrontation between Stalin and Alagiri. Critics sometimes claimed that the DMK can only dream about power, but Karunanidhi scored. He had led the DMK in all elections that are past. The one who stood by him was Stalin.
Many politicians have struggled to ensure secure political slots for children, but Karunanidhi even managed to place nephews at points of power. He showed tremendous acrobatic skill in sharing power. While Alagiri was made a Union minister, Stalin was named deputy chief minister, a first in Tamil Nadu.
He even managed the induction in the Union cabinet his grandnephew Dayanidhi Maran who was earlier expelled following a family infighting and kept out for an year. Kanimozhi, his poetess daughter, remained a Rajya Sabha member because if he had pushed to make her a Union minister, Alagiri would have to be satisfied with the post of a junior minister. Alagiri could not be downgraded because he was the commander of the party in the southern districts. Kanimozhi was therefore 'sacrificed.'
Children versus nephews
The open fight between children and nephews was a crisis Karunanidhi that caused distress for Karunanidhi. The 2007 'Dinakaran' survey was interpreted as an attempt to drive a wedge between Stalin and Alagiri and hence the Maran brothers were shut out of the family. The wounds healed after Alagiri pardoned the Marans. He then joined the Manmohan Singh cabinet along with Dayanidhi Maran.
The balancing Karunanidhi managed between Stalin and Alagiri was a master stroke. Tamil Nadu was handed over to Stalin as Alagiri ruled from Delhi. Karunanidhi carried out the political surgery without hurting senior DMK leaders K. Anbazhagan and Arcot Veeraswamy. Only time can tell us if a political craftsman like Karunanidhi would ever emerge.
Tailpiece
Thrice-married Karunanidhi often faced the worst crises at home. First it was eldest son Muthu. Then Alagiri, and Stalin. Muthu was groomed to counter MGR. The father had hoped the son would become another MGR, but it did not work. Films made with Muthu in the lead crashed at the box office. Finally, the star-aspirant became a wreck himself, and wasted his life on liquor. He fought with is father, and topping the shaming of the patriarch, joined Jayalalithaa's camp.
