Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday charged that DMK president M Karunanidhi has been acting against the avowed principles of late leader C N Annadurai.
Tracing the history of the AIADMK, she said MGR played a key role in the DMK coming to power in Tamil Nadu in 1967. After the demise of Anna in 1969, everyone thought senior-most party leader V R Nedunchezhiyan would become the next CM. However, Karunanidhi approached Rajaji for help to become the CM. But Rajaji advised him to seek the help of MGR to realise his dreams.
Karunanidhi promptly met MGR and sought his help stating that he belonged to a backward community and that he had been working for the uplift of the Tamil race. Because of his magnanimity, MGR recommended the name of Karunanidhi for the CM’s post. Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister for the second-term in 1971 only because of the support extended by MGR, Jayalalithaa said.
After 1971, selfish motives ruled the roost in the DMK and the party became an asset of Karunanidhi’s family and he took shape as a corrupt man misusing the power. Keeping the interests of the people, MGR advised Karunanidhi to mend his ways. However, his advise went unheeded and a thankless Karunanidhi expelled MGR from the DMK.
Jayalalithaa said to safeguard the interests of the people of TN, MGR launched his own party in 1972 and within a few months, the AIADMK won the by-poll to Dindigul Lok Sabha seat. Later, the DMK government was dissolved on charges of corruption on January 31, 1976, and the AIADMK came to power the next year.
Even after this, Karunanidhi continued his diabolical designs against the AIADMK regime with the help of the Congress and as a result, the MGR government was dissolved in 1980. But the AIADMK romped home to power the same year with more number of seats and MGR took over as the CM.