Union Minister Murasoli Maran died at a private hospital in Chennai after a prolonged illness around 7.15 pm on Sunday. He was 69. He is survived by his wife Mallika, two sons and a daughter. Maran alias Thyagaraja Sundaram was DMK president M. Karunanidhi’s conscience-keeper. He spoke what Karunanidhi as the leader of the party could not speak, and his words were listened to carefully. Maran was Karunanidhi’s sister’s son. The two had grown up together in politics and also in the film world. Besides directing a few films, Maran wrote screenplays for several movies. Murasoli became inseparable from his name because of his long association with the DMK’s party organ Murasoli. He also served as its editor. He was also the first president of the Chennai Press Club. Maran wrote with great understanding and clarity on the subjects he dealt with. When the Justice P.V. Rajamannar Committee submitted its report on Centre-state relations, Maran and R. Chezhian, who was then leader of the DMK’s Parliamentary Party, were asked to prepare a note on the party’s position. Later, Maran wrote a book on state autonomy titled Maanila Suyatchi, which is still considered a sort of a Bible on the subject. He was an ideologue with a difference — he adapted the professed ideology of his party to suit the needs of the time. He was the first to use the term ‘‘no party is untouchable’’ when asked if the DMK would prefer an alliance with the BJP.
