MK or MGR: Dispute over undisputed leader in House

DMK MLA P Saravanan from Tiruparankundram constituency in his maiden speech after winning the recently conducted by-election, started his address by saying that Karunanidhi is the leader for MGR, who is the leader for AIADMK MLAs.

The comment came under heavy criticism from AIADMK MLAs and Ministers who protested against the speech. Electricity Minister P Thangamani replied that MGR was an undisputable leader and no one can be compared with him. Karunanidhi was not the leader for MGR, said Thangamani.

Former minister and DMK MLA EV Velu then replied to Thangamani that after the death of former chief minister CN Annadurai, Karunanidhi was made the chief minister and also the party president.

Thangamani replied that without MGR, Karunanidhi could not have been made the party president and chief minister and Velu, who was earlier in the AIADMK should not forget it. Minister for School Education KA Sengottaiyan also said that when others in DMK opposed, it was MGR who supported Karunanidhi to be made party president.

Velu replied that it is true that MGR supported Karunanidhi to become party president, but still Karunanidhi was the party president and MGR was the treasurer which proves that MGR accepted Karunanidhi as his leader. Karunanidhi remained as the undisputed leader of his time, said Velu.

Forest Minister Dindigul C Sreenivasan, replied that MGR is the real undisputed leader. “When MGR became the CM in 1977 he continued to be in power for 10 continuous years and he remained undefeated proving that he was the true undisputed leader of his time,” he said.