How the media covered the launch of ADMK and subsequent developments

The Hindu's detailed coverage of the formation and rise of AIADMK in Tamil Nadu from 1972-1977.

The extensive media coverage of the maiden State-level conference of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor Vijay, has spurred interest among the intelligentsia in how the press fared at the time of the inauguration of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which was established by veteran actor and former DMK treasurer M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) in October 1972.

The Hindu’s approach towards vividly capturing the political events of Tamil Nadu can be evident from its coverage of developments leading to the formation of the AIADMK in 1972 and the events until after the party was voted to power in June 1977. A search in the newspaper’s internal archival system for the term, ADMK (Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which was how the party was called until September 1976), threw up 756 entries for reports published from October 1972 to December 1973.

While carrying a substantial number of the reports concerning the ADMK in the pages meant for the State, the newspaper, however, published on page 1 reports of key developments — be it the suspension of MGR from the DMK, or the formation of the ADMK, or its spectacular success in the 1973 Dindigul Lok Sabha by-election.

Even though the showdown between MGR and the DMK leadership began in the first week of October 1972 with his famous speech at Thirukazhukundram, there was an indication on September 29 that year that members of the MGR Mandrams (fans’ clubs) were planning a body of their own when they put up at a busy locality of Tirunelveli town a separate flag with the figure of a lotus in crimson hue at the centre. Till then, the leader’s fans had only the DMK’s flag for their Mandrams. This development was captured briefly in a report on page 12 of the edition dated October 1, 1972.

On October 8, MGR, in his speech at Thirukazhukundram, about 75 km from Chennai, urged town, taluk, and district secretaries of the DMK to make public the details of their assets. Sensing the political significance of the speech which was made a few days before the scheduled meetings of the party’s executive and general council, the newspaper carried a box report on his speech at the bottom of the front page the next day.

Two days later, when the DMK leadership announced its decision to suspend MGR from the party, a report was published on the right top of the front page on October 11, 1972. On page 12, an account of the reaction of rickshaw-pullers, women from slums, small-scale traders, and hoteliers was presented in two reports from Tiruchi and Madurai.

On October 19, the newspaper published at the lower bottom of the front page a report based on MGR’s interaction with journalists the previous day wherein he had announced the formation of the ADMK. On November 10, MGR, along with his party colleagues and representatives of his allies — the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Republican Party — took out a “mammoth procession” over 10 km to the Raj Bhavan at Guindy. This event was captured in a three-column report that was carried in the middle of the front page on November 11, 1972, with a four-column photograph below.