In an epistle addressed to party cadres two days after Chief Minister Jayalalitha described Biju Patnaik as a “father figure” during the Odisha Day celebrations at the Madras University where she shared the dais with current Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Kalaignar recalled his own proximity to the latter.
Kalaignar said he was reminded of what he wrote about Biju Patnaik several years back in the third volume of his autobiographical book ‘Nenjukku Needhi’.
The media reported that Biju Patnaik would be involved in the efforts for the merger of the two parties. When reporters asked Kalaignar on September 8 at Vellore, he cited MGR asking reporters in Poompuhar ‘What is wrong in the merger of DMK and ADMK?” But on the same evening at a public meeting in Karaikal he had called for the defeat of DMK in Lok Sabha elections. “Anyway let us wait and see” Kalaignar told reporters.
In a meeting for the DMK and ADMK leaders arranged by Biju Patnaik at the state guesthouse in Chennai in mid-September 1979, Kalaignar said MGR had accepted the merger formula wherein the unified party would be named DMK while the ADMK flag would be retained.
He recalled a meeting between him and Patnaik in 1979 and said the ADMK founder late MG Ramachandran had okayed the merger formula where the unified party would be named DMK and the ADMK flag retained.
When Biju Patnaik met him on 12.9.79 at his residence and after a discussion for long, he told him some conditions according to the decision taken in consultation with General Secretary and frontline leaders. They were the united party should continue to be named DMK, no objection to ADMK flag, MGR might continue to be CM and after the merger, decision could be taken at the appropriate time on President, General Secretary, Treasurer and administrative functionaries. Most important matter! Immediate withdrawal of economic criteria for reservation limit Rs.9,000 ceiling in annual income which was against the spirit of social justice.
Biju felt that MGR would not have any difficulty in accepting the conditions and said he would arrange for a meeting on the next day to enable him consult the General Secretary and others. Accordingly all the district secretaries came to Chennai on 13th and consultations were held.
At the meeting DMK General Secretary Prof. K.Anbazhagan, ADMK’s V.R.Nedunchezhian and Panruti Ramachandran were present.
Then MGR and he had talks in another room. He told MGR that besides that the DMK had properties and buildings in various places, it was also the party found by Anna and hence the name must continue after the merger.
Biju Patnaik took the initiative, as a planned meeting between MGR and Indira Gandhi on September 6 that year did not happen, with media reports attributing this to the ADMK chief’s confusion after he was apparently told by then caretaker Prime Minister Charan Singh that if he allied with the Indira Congress, he would have to pull out two cabinet ministers from the government.
Kalaignar recounted that on the same evening Biju called him and asked for an appointment to discuss an important issue. “Biju came on September 12, 1979 and discussed the merger issue with me in detail. After the discussion I had put a few conditions for the merger. We had accepted MGR to continue as chief minister. MGR had okayed the merger formula wherein the unified party would be named DMK and the ADMK flag retained,” Kalaignar said.
After Vellore, the merger talks did not continue. DMK functionaries also stated telling dissent views. When the UNI sought his reaction, Kalaignar said, “No follow up actions on other side. I think the poll alliances of the two parties will be different.”
On briefed of the developments, Biju Patnaik asked him to come to New Delhi immediately.
In the meanwhile, C.M.Stephan, a close confidante of Indira Gandhi and her cabinet minister, contacted Maran and repeatedly urged him of the Congress’ desire for alliance with DMK again, forgetting the developments in the interregnum, for a stable rule at the Centre in the interests of the nation.
“Following the DMK and Left parties supporting Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s actions for nationalisation of banks and abolition of privy purses prior to 1971, supporting the candidature of V.V.Giri in the Presidential elections, sponsored by her and ensuring his victory, was one stage.
“In the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections held thereafter DMK aligned with the Congress (I), gave up 9 Lok Sabha seats for it and incurred victory. Subsequently, promulgation of Emergency in 1975, DMK’s opposition to it, dismissal of DMK government in 1976 – MISA cruelty. After all these, if Indira Gandhi took great efforts for electoral alliance with the DMK in 1980 and asked me to come to Delhi to meet her, is it not a political turning point?” Kalaignar asked.
He also said C Stephen, a close confidant of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, had contacted senior DMK leader Murasoli Maran for a tie-up between the two parties.
The DMK had earlier supported Gandhi’s initiatives such as nationalisation of banks besides backing her nominee VV Giri for president post before aligning with Congress, he said.
“Despite the DMK’s opposition to Emergency in 1975, dissolution of (his) government in 1976, and the difficulties faced due to MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act under which Emergency-era arrests of leaders were made), she (Gandhi) inviting me to Delhi to discuss about alliance in 1980-- is it not a big turning point in politics,” he said.
In yet another crisis, the government is facing a crisis with the merger of OBC-DMK members in Tamil Nadu. The 19 MLAs, who are inclined towards the TDC Dinakaran, have become a minority government.
ReplyDelete