Murasoli Selvam, son-in-law of Karunanidhi, passes away at 82

Chennai: Selvam, former editor of Murasoli—the mouthpiece of Tamil Nadu’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)—and son-in-law of late party patriarch M Karunanidhi, passed away on Thursday. He was 82.

Selvam, also the brother of former Union Minister Murasoli Maran, is survived by his wife Selvi, daughter of Karunanidhi, and their daughter. He breathed his last at a private hospital in Bengaluru, where he lived for a long time, on Thursday, and his mortal remains are being brought to Chennai for last rites.

Selvam remained the editor of Murasoli, which was launched by Karunanidhi in 1942 as a teenager, for a very long time until he stepped down due to his failing health. The newspaper is now run by Udhayanidhi Stalin, Karunanidhi’s grandson and deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu.

Murasoli, which is 82 years old now, was Karunanidhi’s primary mode of communication for over 50 years with the DMK cadre through his column ‘Udanpirape’ (brethren). Penning a moving tribute to his brother-in-law, Chief Minister M K Stalin said Selvam shouldered the responsibility of running the newspaper since his early days.

“Murasoli Selvam played an integral part in my political journey by advising me during critical junctures and standing behind me as I rose through the ranks in the DMK. I have lost the only shoulder, the ideological pillar, I leaned on to after my father’s death. How am I going to console my family and cadres when I can’t fathom the loss myself,” Stalin said.

Selvam’s wife Selvi is known as a consensus builder in Karunanidhi’s family and was credited for the reunion of Kalanidhi Maran and Dayanidhi Maran after a public spat between them and the first family in 2017. Selvi is also the bridge between the families of Stalin and his elder brother M K Alagiri, who has retired from politics.