Stalin visits Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, pays respects to his mother

Leaders of ruling & Opposition parties visiting each other’s residence in times of grief and joy may be common in other states, but it is a rare sight in Tamil Nadu

When Leader of Opposition and DMK President M K Stalin drove to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s residence on Monday to offer condolences for his mother’s death, he received all-round praise for the “great gesture.”

Stalin paid floral tributes to a portrait of Thavusayammal, Palaniswami’s mother, who died on October 13 at the age of 93. This is probably the first time in decades that the leader of the principal opposition party has visited the chief minister at his residence.

Leaders of ruling and Opposition parties visiting each other’s residence in times of grief and joy may be common in other states, but it is a rare sight in Tamil Nadu, whose politics has been completely driven by personal hostility for over three decades.

The state's political veterans like Periyar and Rajaji shared good personal rapport though their ideologies were diametrically opposite to each other. K Kamaraj and C N Annadurai too enjoyed good relations though they fought each other politically.

DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi and AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran did maintain "political decency" though they turned politics foes after being friends for decades and used harsh words for the other in their speeches. The political courtesy, which was part of the Tamil culture, took a major hit after J Jayalalithaa began to dominate the political scene along with Karunanidhi in the late 1980s.

Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi never saw eye-to-eye and had a hatred for the other, which had a trickle-down effect with cadres. Leaders of DMK and AIADMK treated the other as "enemies" vitiating the political atmosphere and culture. Even while regretting that “political culture” in the state had plunged low, the two leaders had blamed the other.

DMK President and Leader of Opposition M K Stalin at Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami's residence in Chennai on Monday. Stalin paid floral tributes to the portrait of Palaniswami's mother who died last week. Credit: Special Arrangement

"It is a great gesture and a healthy move. Stalin has weaned away from the animosity-driven politics that Tamil Nadu had been used to for the past few decades. Stalin visiting the chief minister at his residence is alien to hitherto practised political conduct in Tamil Nadu. Hopefully, this heralds a new political culture in Tamil Nadu," senior journalist R Bhagwan Singh told DH.

He added: "The new culture, which is visible in other parts of the country, will percolate down the line which will be good for the state in general if it continues. Stalin and AIADMK leaders should ensure that the basic courtesy and decency stay course whatever differences might emerge between them politically particularly during election times."

And the first step towards ending the animosity and extending the olive branch in recent years came from none other than Stalin, who attended the swearing-in ceremony of Jayalalithaa in May 2016. He had also attended the swearing-in ceremony of Jayalalithaa in 2001.

And when the former chief minister was hospitalised, Stalin drove to Apollo Hospitals and enquired about her health from V K Sasikala, the late Jayalalithaa's long-time aide. He also led the DMK delegation to pay respects for Jayalalithaa when she died.

From the AIADMK side, it was Sasikala who put an end to the animosity by deputing senior leaders to visit Kauvery Hospital to enquire about Karunanidhi's health in 2016.