TIRUCHY: DMK chief M Karunanidhi, seated in a wheelchair and recovering from tracheostomy, mumbles ‘Perasiriyar’, trying to call his friend. Understanding the word, his daughter Kanimozhi points to where Anbazhagan is in the crowd that had gathered at his Gopalapuram residence. Karunanidhi’s face glows as his good friend comes close and the two shake hands. Video of this exchange was released a few months before Karunanidhi’s demise. The clip went viral again on Saturday.
The bond between Karunanidhi and Anbazhagan remained strong for over 75 years. Karunanidhi first met Anbazhagan in 1942 when the latter came to Tiruvarur with C N Annadurai, who went on to become chief minister, to participate in Sikandar Hyat-Khan memorial. Anbazhagan was a student in Annamalai University. Two years later, in 1944, Karunanidhi invited Anbazhagan to deliver a speech in Tamil Nadu Tamil Maanavar Mandram, a student body he started in Tiruvarur. The friendship grew stronger ever since and the duo travelled through ups and downs together, despite the fact that Anbazhagan was two years older.
The two were founding members of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which Annadurai launched in 1949, and crisscrossed Tamil Nadu garnering support for the party. Good writers they were, both Karunanidhi and Anbazhagan edited DMK’s journals. Karunanidhi handled ‘Murasoli’, and Anbazhagan ‘Puthu Vazhvu’ and played a key role in the party capturing power within 20 years of its launch. When DMK faced a leadership issue in the aftermath of Anna’s death in 1969, Anbazhagan threw his weight behind Karunanidhi, despite being aware that his associate Navalar Nedunchezian aspired for the top post.
Anbazhagan became a minister in Karunanidhi’s government in 1971. He was appointed health minister, the portfolio which MGR sought in vain.After MGR broke ranks and many leaders left the DMK to join him, Anbazhagan remained by Karunanidhi. So inspired was Anbazhagan by Karunanidhi’s resolve during Emergency, that he started calling him Thalaivar (leader). In 1983, both of them resigned as MLA over the Eelam Tamils issue. Anbazhagan often introduced himself in meetings thus: ‘I am a cadre of Periyar, brother of Anna and friend of Karunanidhi.’