Veteran AIADMK leader Saidai S. Duraisamy has said October 17 should be remembered in Tamil Nadu’s political history as a “People’s Democratic Revolution Day”, arguing that AIADMK was the only political movement in India formed by ordinary people, cadres and fans against corruption and dynastic politics.
Recalling the period after 1971, he said former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj had sharply criticised the DMK government led by M. Karunanidhi for corruption. Duraisamy alleged that MGR was sidelined within the party and that MGR fan clubs were renamed as “M.K. Muthu” clubs, triggering anger among MGR supporters.
He said MGR’s removal from the DMK on October 10, 1972 sparked statewide protests, including shutdowns, fasts, rallies and demonstrations. According to him, some supporters, unable to bear the shock, died by suicide. Duraisamy noted that a peace committee was formed under Anakaputhur Ramalingam to regulate the agitation, but the demand remained unchanged: MGR should launch a new party.
Duraisamy said MGR appealed emotionally to supporters not to resort to self-harm, calling such acts cowardly. He added that, following public insistence, the party registered by Anakaputhur Ramalingam—Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam—was announced as MGR’s party on October 17, and that it enrolled 1.1 million members in the first week.
He further claimed that AIADMK under MGR introduced internal democracy by mandating that office-bearers from the general secretary to branch secretaries be elected by cadres. Citing the 1980 internal elections, he said only those with cadre support won, and noted that he was elected unopposed as Saidapet constituency secretary and was personally congratulated by MGR.
In his concluding remarks, Duraisamy said the circumstances were now favourable to politically defeat the DMK, urging all factions of AIADMK to unite, form the right alliance, and take a pledge to fulfil what he described as MGR’s objective of uprooting the DMK.
