The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : DMK reposes faith in Dayanidhi Maran

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 23, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

DMK reposes faith in Dayanidhi Maran

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI, MAY 22. Dayanidhi Maran, younger son of the late DMK leader, Murasoli Maran, who held several key portfolios in the Union Government, has been inducted into the Union Cabinet on his first entry into the Lok Sabha, to continue the role played by his father in national politics.

The late Maran's uncle and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president, M. Karunanidhi, reposed faith in Mr. Dayanidhi Maran as successor to Maran. He played a key role in the Congress and the DMK coming together after the latter came out of the National Democratic Alliance Government. Along with Mr. Karunanidhi, Mr. Dayanidhi Maran was instrumental in forming the seven-party Democratic Progressive Alliance, which bagged all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu.

The 37-year old Mr. Dayanidhi Maran, father of two daughters, is a graduate in economics from Loyola College, Chennai.

The younger brother of Kalanidhi Maran, he was managing the Sun television channel network and was in charge of the Tamil magazine, Kunkumam, and Sumangali Cable Vision, a multisystem operator in Tamil Nadu.

Though Mr. Dayanidhi Maran is a debutant in politics, the DMK is confident that he will continue the legacy of his father.

From the Pattali Makkal Katchi, 36-year-old R. Anbumani, son of the party founder, S. Ramadoss, has been inducted into the Cabinet though he did not contest the recent Lok Sabha polls. An agreement was already reached among the alliance parties that PMK would be given a Rajya Sabha seat. Dr. Anbumani will be elected to the Rajya Sabha next month from Tamil Nadu.

A doctor and father of three daughters, he has been in active politics. He has been recently elected organising secretary of the PMK. As president of Pasumai Thayagam, a non-governmental organisation, he has been undertaking social causes. In recognition of his services, he was invited to participate in the World Earth Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, in September 2002 and in the World Water Forum at Kyoto, Japan, in February 2003.

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