‘Queen Maker’ makes a silent exit

Often credited with playing a key role in the elevation of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa to the post of AIADMK general secretary after the demise of party founder MGR, ‘MN’ as he is called by his friends and AIADMK leaders took pride in calling himself a ‘queen maker’. He played a crucial role along with former ministers ‘Panrutti’ S Ramachandran, S Thirunavukkarasar and KKSSR Ramachandran in elevating Jayalalithaa to the powerful post of general secretary. 

After MGR’s death, Natarajan’s influence over Jayalalithaa could be gauged by the open allegations made by top leaders that Jayalalithaa was being controlled by Natarajan and she was not acting on her own. Most of the top leaders, who were instrumental in Jayalalithaa’s rise were sidelined and forced to leave, while Natarajan continued to wield power. 

His role came out in the open in March 1989, when Jayalalithaa was the Opposition leader. If not for him, she would have quit politics in 1989 as she had written a letter to Assembly Speaker stating her resignation from the Assembly. Natarajan, who had his eyes and ears in Poes Garden swung into action and got hold of the letter, ensuring that it did not reach the Speaker. The DMK government sensing what had happened conducted a police search in Natarajan’s house in March 1989 and seized the letter. The police raids in Natarajan’s house and the release of the letter to the media infuriated Jayalalithaa, who asserted that she would stay in politics to defeat the DMK. 

His association with Jayalalithaa began when his wife Sasikala got the opportunity of video recording Jayalalithaa’s public meeting at Cuddalore. However, he was forced into oblivion when Jayalalithaa finally banished him from her house and party. Despite his banishment, he remained a power centre throughout his life and wielded influence in the AIADMK government and party. 

While the recent Koovathur episode remains fresh in public memory, even three decades ago, Natarajan set a model for the ‘Koovathur episode’ by arranging remote locations including rice mill premises for the stay of AIADMK general council members, who held the key to elect Jayalalithaa as the party leader. 

Natarajan started his political career in the anti-Hindi agitations in 1965. As a student of Serfoji College in Thanjavur and later at Annamalai University, he was close to senior DMK leader L Ganesan, who co-ordinated the activities of students. He joined government service in 1971 as a public relations officer and his marriage was presided over by Karunanidhi, who was the then chief minister. 

Born in Vilar village in Thanjavur, Natarajan, an ardent supporter of the Sri Lankan Tamil cause assisted the efforts to build a memorial for the victims of Mullivaikkal massacre near his native place.