G. K. Moopanar
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2014) |
G. K. Moopanar | |
|---|---|
 Moopanar on a 2010 stamp of India | |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 1977–2001 | |
| Constituency | Tamil Nadu |
| General Secretary of All India Congress Committee | |
| In office 1980–1988 | |
| President | Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 August 1931 Sunderaperumal Kovil, Thanjavur, Madras State, British India (now in Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India) |
| Died | 30 August 2001 (aged 70) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Political party | Tamil Maanila Congress (from-1996) |
| Other political affiliations | Indian National Congress (till-1996) |
| Spouse | Kasthuri |
| Children | Usha Rani, G. K. Vasan |
| Residence(s) | Kabisthalam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Occupation | Agriculturalist, Politician, Social Worker |
Govindaswamy Karuppiah Moopanar (19 August 1931 – 30 August 2001)[1] known as G. K. Moopanar was an Indian National Congress leader, parliamentarian, and philanthropist.[2] He was an All India Congress Committee general secretary from 1980 to 1988. Moopanar was a close associate of Congress leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, K. Kamaraj.[3]
Early life
G.K. Moopanar was born in Kabisthalam to rich landlord Govindaswamy moopanar. His father was a congressman and a agriculturist, G.K. Moopanar was the eldest child of his house. MR. G.K. Moopanar studied in papanasam board high school. Due to an leg injury he did not go to college. He is called as PERRIAIYYA by the people of tanjore. He married shrimati Kasthuri ammal at the age 18,G.K.moopanar and smt. Kasthuri gave birth to smt. Usha rani (1962) and G.K.Vasan in 1964.
</ref>
Political career
Moopanar first met Kamaraj and Jayaprakash Narayan when they called on his father Govindasamy Moopanar at his home at Sundaraperumal Kovil, near Kumbakonam, in 1951. Kamaraj was then TNCC president. Moopanar became the president of the Thanjavur district Congress committee in 1965. When the Congress split in 1969 Moopanar continued with Kamaraj. After Kamaraj’s death on 2 October 1975, the two Congress factions in Tamil Nadu merged in 1976. At the merger function, Indira Gandhi announced that Moopanar would be the president of the unified TNCC.
From then onwards, his rise in the Congress was swift. He was TNCC president from 1976 to 1980, and again in 1988–89. He was a puissant AICC general secretary from 1980 to 1988. Moopanar founded the Tamil Maanila Congress in the year 1996 (TMC) party.[3] He was a Rajya Sabha member when he died. Both Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi offered him ministership but he declined.
He also shunned the Prime Minister’s post offered to him in April 1997 after the fall of the United Front government led by H.D. Deve Gowda. In a volume titled Makkal Thalaivar Moopanar, published by a TMC leader in August 2000, former Union Minister R. Dhanuskodi Athithan has recalled that CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet declared that "Mr. Moopanar is the best and first choice" for the prime ministership. West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu seconded the choice. However Karunanithi and Murasoli Maran did not agree to it, so Moopanar declined the offer.
The TMC felt orphaned with the death of Moopanar. The party quickly tried to steady itself when at a meeting of its legislators, Rajya Sabha members and leaders on 1 September, Moopanar’s son G.K. Vasan was elected TMC president.
After the demise of Moopanar, under the new leadership of his son G K Vasan, the TMC merged back with the Congress led by Sonia Gandhi.[4]
References
- ^ G.K. Moopanar passes away. The Hindu (31 August 2001). Retrieved on 2018-11-12.
- ^ Subramanian, T. S. (2001). "Crusading Congressman G.K. Moopanar, 1931–2001". Frontline. 18 (19). The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 July 2014.
- ^ a b Warrier, Shobha (1997). "Ayya, the man who lost out". Rediff On The Net. Archived from the original on 23 July 2014.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
makkalthalaivar.orgwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).