V. R. Nedunchezhiyan

V. R. Nedunchezhiyan
2nd Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
In office
24 December 1987 – 7 January 1988
Governor Sundar Lal Khurana
Preceded by M. G. Ramachandran
Succeeded by Janaki Ramachandran
In office
3 February 1969 – 10 February 1969
Governor Sardar Ujjal Singh
Preceded by C.N. Annadurai
Succeeded by M. Karunanidhi
Minister of Finance (Government of Tamil Nadu)
In office
1991–1996
Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa
In office
1980–1987
Chief Minister M. G. Ramachandran
In office
1967–1976
Chief Minister C. N. Annadurai
M. Karunanidhi
Personal details
Born 11 July 1920
Thirukannapuram, Tanjore district, (Now in Nagapattinam district) Madras Presidency, British India (now Tamil Nadu, India
Died 12 January 2000(2000-01-12) (aged 79)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Political party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (from 1979)
Other political
affiliations		 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (till 1979)
Spouse(s) Visalakshi

V. R. Nedunchezhiyan (11 July 1920 – 12 January 2000) was a Chief Minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. He was appointed 2nd Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in two tenures (3 February 1969 – 10 February 1969 and 24 December 1987 – 7 January 1988). Nedunchezhiyan was a minister under the governments of C. N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, M. G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa.

Nedunchezhiyan was born at Thirukkannapuram on 11 July 1920. He became involved in politics while at Annamalai University and joined the Dravidar Kazhagam party in 1944. In 1949, he and C. N. Annadurai formed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), with the latter as leader and Nedunchezhiyan acting as deputy general secretary until 1955. He was general secretary between 1955-61 and then chairman of the party's general council until 1969.[1]

Legislative election history

YearResultSeatParty
1962WonTriplicaneDMK
1967WonTriplicaneDMK
1971WonTriplicaneDMK
1977
1980WonThirunelveliAIADMK
1984WonAthoorAIADMK
1989
1991WonTheniAIADMK

Nedunchezhiyan was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu in 1962 and in 1967 became a cabinet minister when the DMK took power. He was briefly acting Chief Minister for the state following Annadurai's death in 1969, taking the role until M. Karunanidhi was appointed. He then continued as a cabinet minister in the Karunanidhi cabinet until the DMK lost power in 1976.[1]

Together with Sathyavani Muthu, Nedunchezhiyan left the DMK to form a new political party called the Makkal DMK but this did not last long. The party merged with the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK), which was by then in government, in 1978 and from 1980 Nedunchezhiyan was again a cabinet minister, this time under the leadership of ADMK's M. G. Ramachandran. He held the position of Finance Minister from 1980 to 1987 and once again became acting Chief Minister in the latter year when Ramachandran died. He was a candidate in the subsequent leadership election but lost to Ramachandran's wife, Janaki.[1]

Nedunchezhiyan briefly aligned himself with the Jayalalitha-led group within the ADMK but was expelled from the party in 1988 after disputes with its leaders. He stood in the 1989 state elections and later that year returned to the party fold after Jayalalitha had successfully reunified it. He remained loyal to her thereafter and served as Finance Minister again between 1991-1996.[1]

He died of heart failure in hospital on 12 January 2000. He was survived by his wife, Visalakshi, and a son.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Nedunchezhiyan dies of heart failure". The Hindu. 13 January 2000. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
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