New Era

New Era: 

To continue the legacy of Dr. Anna's ideals, to develop the DMK party, to fill up the vacuum left by Dr. Anna and to sefeguard the interests of the Tamils, the burden of leadership was placed on the shoulders of Dr. Kalaignar. On February 10, 1969, Dr. Kalaignar took oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. It was the dawn of new era.

Born on 3rd June 1924, in a small village Thirukuvalai in Thanjavur District, the citadel of Chola Kings Raja Raja the great and Rajendra the great. Dr. Kalaignar had the dream and vision to revive and restore the golden period of those kings. With his multidimensional talents as an outstanding orator, writer, novelist, dramatist, journalist, unparalleled organiser, administrator, political thinker, astute statesman and above all an unassuming, easily accessible humanitarian Dr. Kalaignar devoted himself to realise this dream.

Influenced by the ideals of Periyar and Anna, Dr. Kalaignar's public life began in his earty teens. By sheer dedication and hard work, he rose to become the first lieutenant of Dr. Anna. The relationship between Dr. Kalaignar and Dr. Anna. Was like the one between Plato and Socrates in political thinking, between Stalin and Lenin in protecting party and between Nehru and Gandhi in following democratic norms.

Dr. Kalaignar was unanimously chosen as Party Treasurer in 1960. Entrusted with the responsibility of mobilizing Rs.10 Lakhs for the 1967 election fund, Dr. Kalaignar dedicated himself entirely to this arduous task. He exceeded the target and collected Rs.11 Lakhs. With great affection, admiration and adoration, a beaming Anna announced that DMK candidate for Saidapet constituency would be "11 Lakhs".

Bearing the loss of Anna, and the defection of MGR, Dr. Kalaignar led the party to victory in 1971, 1989 and 1996 General Elections.

In the three decades of Kalaignar's leadership, DMK is kept intact from the onslaught of vested interests. He is the only leader in Tamil nadu who had come out successfully in every assembly Election he contested since 1957. No wonder DMK cadres acknowledged his distinguished services to the party by electing him unopposed successively for eight times as party president since 1969.