Tamil Nadu: AIADMK's first MP K Maya Thevar dies at 87

MADURAI: K Maya Thevar, 87, AIADMK's first MP and a close confidante of party founder M G Ramachandran, died at Chinnalapatti in Dindigul district on Tuesday.
Thevar's family sources said he was not well for the past several days and passed away on Tuesday afternoon. In his condolence message, AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said Thevar died due to cardiac arrest.Former chief minister O Panneerselvam, ousted AIADMK leader V K Sasikala and AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran expressed their condolences for the family members of Thevar.
He is survived by wife Saraswathi, son K M Senthilkumaran and daughter K M Sumathi. Born on October 15, 1934, at Uchipatti near Usilampatti in Madurai district, Thevar moved to Chinnalapatti and made it his home for close to five decades since 1973 when he was fielded as AIADMK's candidate for Dindigul Lok Sabha bypoll that year.
An advocate by profession, Thevar was handpicked by the late chief minister M G Ramachandran for the party's maiden election. OPS said that it was Thevar who chose the Two Leaves symbol for the fledgling party in that election. "When MGR asked me the reason for choosing Two Leaves, I told him that he can show the two-finger victory sign like Winston Churchill and it would help us take the symbol to the public," Thevar had said in a media interview a few years back.
AIADMK old-timers say that Thevar got acquainted with MGR when the matinee idol used to visit the Madras high court for trial against actor M R Radha for shooting him. As a young and bold lawyer, he caught the attention of MGR. Later, when scores of AIADMK's second rung leaders were arrested soon after the party was launched, MGR asked Thevar to argue their case.
He successfully brought the leaders out on bail and got into the good books of MGR. A few months later when Dindigul byelections were announced, MGR chose Thevar. He was reluctant, but went on to win a grand victory pushing the ruling DMK to the third position. His victory was credited to cement AIADMK's position as a strong party in south TN.