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Chennai, Dec. 1: The feud in Tamil Nadu’s first family has come to an end with M. Karunanidhi working out a peace agreement with grandnephews Kalanidhi and Dayanidhi Maran.
The chief minister presided over a meeting of his sons, M.K. Azhagiri and M.K. Stalin, with the Marans at his residence this afternoon.
“Azhagiri and Stalin agreed on a rapprochement,” Karunanidhi told reporters.
The row traces its roots to 2006 when the Karunanidhis had sold Sun TV shares to the Maran brothers for Rs 100 crore. The chief minister’s sons, especially Azhagiri, felt short-changed after Sun TV went public and its share value shot up.
The Marans found themselves blacklisted by Karunanidhi and Azhagiri after their Tamil daily, Dinakaran, published an opinion poll in May 2007 that proclaimed Stalin was the most preferred DMK heir.
Dayanidhi was forced to resign as Union IT minister and the Karunanidhi family started its own TV channel to take on the might and reach of Sun TV, owned by Kalanidhi.
Last week, Karunanidhi accused the Maran brothers of plotting against his family, prompting Kalanidhi to come up with a detailed rebuttal.
According to unconfirmed reports, the Maran brothers have now agreed to pay a sizeable amount for the Sun TV shares. Dayanidhi is unlikely to return to the Union cabinet, though.
The ground for peace was laid by Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu, daughter Selvi and Azhagiri’s daughter Kayalvizhi. Selvi is married to the brother of the late Murasoli Maran, Kalanidhi and Dayanidhi’s father.
While Dayalu was in hospital recently, the three women decided that the family rift had to be bridged as it would only benefit their enemies.
Dayalu spoke to Karunanidhi and paved the way for today’s peace deal.
The warring sides met at Karunanidhi’s official residence for more than an hour.
Dayalu looked the happiest in the family after the meeting. But Union communications minister A. Raja is likely to heave the loudest sigh of relief. He had been singled out in anti-government attacks unleashed by Sun TV and Dinakaran.
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