Former editor of DMK party organ and CM Stalin’s relative ‘Murasoli’ Selvam passes away at 84
The senior journalist was stated to have breathed his last while reclining on a couch after preparing notes for his last 'Murasoli' article.
Murasoli Selvam
CHENNAI: Former editor of DMK’s mouthpiece and brother-in-law of Chief Minister MK Stalin, 'Murasoli' Selvam passed away in Bengaluru on Thursday. He was 84.
One of the key members of the DMK’s first family, ‘Murasoli’ Selvam is the son-in-law of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, younger brother of former Union minister Murasoli Maran and husband of CM Stalin's younger sister Selvi. Selvam died due to a heart attack at his residence in Bengaluru Thursday morning. He was stated to have breathed his last on the couch he reclined after preparing notes for his 'final' Murasoli article.
Chief Minister Stalin expressed shock at the demise of Selvam and said, "I lost the ideological pillar and the last shoulder I could lean on after the demise of Kalaignar." In his condolence message circulated on social media, Stalin said that the news of his beloved Selvam's demise struck his heart like a bolt out of the blue and made him bleed in pain. "When I heard that Selvam died in his siesta after preparing notes for the next Murasoli article, my heart shook and shattered. As my Annan (elder brother) and guide, Selvam stood by me from a young age, offered me suggestions in party affairs, provided solutions during distressing times and stood by me during my growth in the DMK. How will I console the family and party members when I cannot console myself, " Stalin wondered.
Describing Selvam as a person who efficiently shouldered Murasoli, Stalin said he put the thoughts of Kalaignar and ‘Murasoli’ Maran into writing and action.
Praising him as a multi-faceted personality who left an imprint in every field he ventured into, from electoral politics to cinema production, Stalin said that a soft-spoken Selvam was a staunch idealist and the articles he authored in his pen name Silandhi (spider) in Murasoli infused the ideology in the minds of the young DMK cadre.
As the senior member of the Karunanidhi era, Selvam was the go-to person through whom even the most uncomfortable views were conveyed to the DMK high command during the tenure of Kalaignar and Stalin.
Author of many books and articles in ‘Murasoli’ Selvam expressed his witty criticism targeting the rivals of DMK through articles loaded with data in his pen name 'Silandhi.' On September 21, 1992, during the maiden tenure of J Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister, Selvam earned the reputation for being the first editor to be reprimanded for allegedly violating the House's privilege.
DMK general secretary Duraimurugan advised all party wings to fly the party flags at half-mast for the next three days in view of Selvam's death.
The mortal remains of Selvam were brought from Bengaluru to Chennai by road. Leaders of DMK, including Chief Minister Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi, DMK treasurer TR Baalu and former union minister Dayanidhi Maran arrived at Karunanidhi's Gopalapuram residence where the mortal remains were kept for the public to pay respects. Selvam would be laid to rest on Friday.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperuthagai, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, BJP state president K Annamalai, former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss condoled the demise of Selvam.
