CM unveils statue of city’s first mayor ‘Muthannan’

Madurai: In a gesture that transcends political divides, chief minister M K Stalin on Saturday evening unveiled a bronze statue of Madurai's first mayor, Subbiah Muthu, fondly known as ‘Muthannan,' at New Jail Road, replacing the older concrete structure. A key architect of DMK in Madurai in the 1960s and seventies, Muthu's contributions to the city's civic and political landscape were honoured despite his shift to AIADMK in 1975.Muthu who was mayor twice, from 1971 to 1974, and from 1978-1980, made earnest efforts to elevate Madurai from being a municipality to a corporation. Born on March 13, 1916 into a peasant family, Muthu's early education ended at the age of eleven. He started his career as a junior accountant in a south Indian firm in Burma, then tilled the soil in his village, and later worked in Madurai Mills. He was arrested several times while leading strikes and campaigning against price rises.A staunch follower of E V Ramasamy, Muthu joined Dravida Kazhagam in 1944, and later became a member of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in 1949. He was elected as a member of the legislative council (MLC) in 1966 and to Madurai Council, becoming its chairman in 1969 and mayor in 1971. Construction of overbridges at Subramanyapuram and Andalpuram, establishment of collector wells to augment the city's water supply, and provision of housing for corporation staff were some of his contributions."Muthannan was the root of Madurai DMK from 1960s when we used to hold party meetings on the Vaigai river against the Congress govt. He used to protect the cadres and discipline the party," recalls P Kulanthaivel, the first directly elected mayor in 1996.In a social media post, M K Alagiri, former Union minister, said Muthannan belonged to former chief minister Annadurai's period. "Even though I did not share much space with him, his works in Madurai for DMK are known even now, and I am happy that my brother M K Stalin is unveiling a bronze statue of Muthannan."