MK’s trusted lieutenant Periyasamy passes away

DMK war-horse and veteran trade union leader N Periyasamy passed away at the age of 78 in Chennai on Friday. DMK working president and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly MK Stalin and several other political leaders paid their respects to him. 

Peiryasamy, who was the Thoothukudi south district secretary of DMK, was one of the trusted lieutenants of the Dravidian patriarch M Karunanidhi. 

Periyasamy, who was born in a family of agricultural labourers at Thattarmadam in Thoothukudi district, moved to Thoothukudi town at the age of 15 and worked in various companies in the port city. Subsequently, he became the leader of various trade unions and joined the DMK in 1960s. 

His active participation in the anti-Hindi agitations earned him a good name and made him popular within the party and in the town. Periyasamy won the trust of Karunanidhi by playing major role in various party events  and he was rewarded with the post of Thoothukudi Town Chairman in 1986. 

His march continued and he was made the Thoothukudi South District Secretary in the subsequent year. 

He was holding the post for 30 years until his death on Friday. 

He was elected twice to the Assembly in 1989 and in 1996. An active member of the VOC Port Trust, Periyasamy was instrumental in bringing many developmental projects like an overbridge near the new bus stand, a cement canal way for Buckle canal in the town. 

Well known for his adamant character, the DMK leader had his own share of tiffs with his party members especially Anitha Radhakrishnan. Both his son, Jegan Periyasamy, and daughter, Geetha Jeevan, ex-minister, are active politicians in Thoothukudi. In recent times, he was down with fever and was undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Chennai. However, he passed away on Friday morning. His body was embalmed and flown to Thoothukudi. Periyasamy’s funeral will be performed on Sunday. 

Paying respects to Periyasamy, Stalin revealed that the DMK strongman was often referred to as ‘murattu bakthan’ by his father Karunanidhi. “I met him a few days ago in the hospital. I was confident that he will bounce back from illness, but, he passed away unexpectedly,” added Stalin.  MDMK leader Vaiko, who was one of the close friends of Periyasamy, was the first to visit the hospital and console the family. Ponmudi and other DMK leaders also paid respects to him. The party had also announced three days mourning for the death of Periyasamy.