Effusive in his praise for the late Chief Minister and matinee icon MG Ramachandran’s spouse, VN Janaki, South Indian superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday credited her with the unification of the AIADMK by renouncing politics and handing over the party to Jayalalithaa.

“The ‘Two Leaves’ symbol is the Brahmastra of the AIADMK, and Madam Janaki played a key role in its retrieval after it was frozen following the party’s split in the aftermath of its founder and Chief Minister MG Ramachandran’s death. It was a great sacrifice, and I congratulate the AIADMK for celebrating her centenary,” the film star said in a video message played at the birth centenary celebration of Janaki, organised by the AIADMK.

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Janaki became the first woman Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, taking over the mantle after her husband’s death in December 1987. This led to a split in the AIADMK, with one faction led by Jayalalithaa. She lost the confidence vote and her government was dismissed by the then Rajiv Gandhi government under Article 356 of the Constitution. As such, she also had the ignominy of her government being short-lived, lasting merely 24 days. With the party’s iconic ‘Two Leaves’ symbol remaining frozen due to the split, the two factions of the AIADMK fought the 1989 assembly election under different symbols. The DMK under M Karunanidhi won the election and the Jayalalithaa faction had to remain content with 27 seats while the Janaki faction was whitewashed.

Janaki then decided to call it quits and renounced politics, handing over the party to Jayalalithaa, thus paving the way for the retrieval of the party symbol. And the rest is history.

Sharing his memories about Janaki, Rajinikanth said, “Janaki’s entry into politics was an accident. She wasn’t interested but had come as a prisoner of the situation. However, she was capable of taking decisions independently without anybody’s influence. Considering that politics is not her forte, she decided to hand over the party to Jayalalitha, believing she was the appropriate person to lead the party. For the sake of the party, she gave up her claim. It evidences her character and putting public interest above everything else.”

On a personal note, the superstar recalled, “It was Janaki madam who informed me that MGR had asked me to refrain from smoking scenes.” His stylish smoking and dramatic cigarette lighting had earned him both name and fame. Further, he said, “When I was considering entering politics and launching my political party, many offered their advice. Some even warned me against making a political plunge. I cannot divulge who said what.”