Well, I made that up. But you may read such news reports in the second decade of the Century that begins today. Being cordial to each other may be an alien concept for top leaders in the state today, but the next generation of political rivals may turn over a new leaf to exchange a smile, shake hands or even share a joke.
The state has a history of such warm relations cemented by mutual respect. DMK founder leader CN Annadurai was terribly upset when Congress leader K Kamaraj was defeated by his own DMK in 1967. C Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) who called Communists his enemy number one' maintained friendly relations with Communist leaders. A 93-year-old Periyar insisted on walking to the crematorium to pay his last respects to Rajaji when the Congress leader passed away in 1972.
So when and how did civility become a casualty in our politics? Political observers are unanimous in their verdict that it all started around the expulsion of MGR and his floating the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ( ADMK) in 1972. "That's when M Karunanidhi called MGR a Malayalee who is an enemy of Tamils.' MGR reciprocated, calling Karunanidhi a theeya shakthi' (evil force)," says Tuglak editor Cho Ramaswamy.
J Jayalalithaa carried forward the legacy of personal animosity with a vengeance, and the exchanges got bitter by the day. The ugly spat and mutual victimisation peaked when Karunanidhi got her arrested on December 7, 1996. Jayalalithaa retaliated in equal measure, ordering the midnight arrest of Karunanidhi on June 30, 2001, barely a month after she returned to power. So much has been the two leaders' hatred for each other that they crossed their paths just once in the last decade, when Jayalalithaa attended the Assembly on May 27. Even then, they refused to see eye to eye.
"The rivalry between DMK and AIADMK is more personal than ideological," says Panruti Ramachandran, who was a minister in the MGR cabinet and is now the presidium chairman of Vijayakanth's party DMDK. "The basic reason for this bitterness is that AIADMK took birth as a splinter party. But the exit of Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa, and the entry of a new generation of leaders may bring in a new culture of cordiality," he adds. The first indication of such a change came from MK Stalin, then DMK deputy general secretary, in 2005 when he called on then chief minister Jayalalithaa to hand over a cheque towards the CM's relief fund for tsunami victims. "That was setting a good example," says political commentator Gnani. "The elder leaders have been responsible for the rot in political culture and it was worsened by platform speakers of both the parties throwing vulgarities at each other. Hope for civilised political exchanges is on the next leadership."
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan admits that the personal rivalry between Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa has crossed the point of no return. "AIADMK thrives on personal attacks and our leader is forced to retaliate. But things may change. In fact, many of us have an excellent relationship with leaders of other parties including AIADMK," says Elangovan. A senior AIADMK leader who doesn't want to be quoted without Amma's permission' is not so hopeful. "If there is one person to be held responsible for this culture, it is Karunanidhi," he says.
Cho says politicians being cordial to each other elsewhere should not be taken for any great friendship. "It is mostly a good formality." Let 2011 mark the beginning of that formality, if not friendship, so that we can soon hear the chief minister wishing the Opposition leader a happy New Year.
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