Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

AbbreviationDMKPresidentM. K. StalinGeneral SecretaryDuraimuruganParliamentary ChairpersonKanimozhi KarunanidhiRajya Sabha LeaderTiruchi SivaLok Sabha LeaderT. R. BaaluTreasurerT. R. BaaluFounderC. N. AnnaduraiFounded17 September 1949 (76 years ago) (1949-09-17)Split fromDravidar KazhagamPreceded byJustice Party (1917-1944)Dravidar Kazhagam(1944-1949)HeadquartersAnna Arivalayam,367-369, Anna Salai, Teynampet, Chennai – 600018, Tamil Nadu, IndiaStudent wingMaanavar AniYouth wingIlaignar AniWomen’s wingMagalir AniLabour wingLabour Progressive Federation (LPF)IdeologyECI StatusState Party[8]Alliance

• National AllianceINDIA (since 2023)
• Regional AlliancesSPA (Tamil Nadu and Puducherry)

Seats in Rajya SabhaSeats in Lok SabhaSeats in State Legislative AssembliesNumber of states and union territories in governmentElection symbolRising SunParty flagWebsitewww.dmk.in This article is part of a series on theDravidian politics

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Tamil pronunciation: [t̪iɾaːʋiɖɐ munːeːtrɐk kɐɻɐɡɐm]; transl. Dravidian Progressive Federation;[9] abbr. DMK) is an Indian secular progressive political party based in the state of Tamil Nadu, where it is currently the ruling party, and the union territory of Puducherry, where it is currently the main opposition.[10]

The DMK was founded on 17 September 1949 by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam, headed by Periyar.[11][12][13] The DMK was headed by Annadurai as the general secretary from 1949 until his death on 4 February 1969.[14] He also served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 1967 to 1969. Under Annadurai, in 1967 the DMK became the first party other than the Indian National Congress to win state-level elections with a clear majority on its own in India. M. Karunanidhi followed Annadurai as the first president of the party from 1969 until his death on 7 August 2018.[15] He also served as the chief minister for five non-consecutive terms, in two of which he was dismissed by the Union government.[16] After Karunanidhi’s death, his son and former deputy, M. K. Stalin, succeeded as the party president and as a chief minister of Tamil Nadu from May 2021.[17]

The DMK became the fifth-largest party in the Lok Sabha after the 2024 Indian general election.[18] It currently holds 126 seats in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, where the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance holds 159 out of 234 seats.[19]

DMK traces its roots to the Justice Party founded by C. Natesa Mudaliar in 1916, in the presence of P. Theagaraya Chetty, P. T. Rajan, T. M. Nair, Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar and a few others in Victoria Public Hall Madras Presidency.[20] The Justice Party, whose objectives included social equality and justice, came to power in the first general elections to the Madras Presidency in 1920.[21] Communal division between Brahmins and non-Brahmins began in the presidency during the late-19th and early-20th century, mainly due to caste prejudices and disproportionate Brahminical representation in government jobs. The Justice Party’s foundation marked the culmination of several efforts to establish an organization to represent the non-Brahmins in Madras and is seen as the start of the Dravidian movement.[22][23][24] In 1935, Periyar, a popular reformist leader at that time, joined the Justice Party.

In the 1937 elections, the Justice Party lost and the Indian National Congress under C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) came to power in Madras Presidency. Rajaji’s introduction of Hindi as a compulsory subject in schools led to the anti-Hindi agitations, led by Periyar and his associates.[25][26][27]

In August 1944, Periyar created the ‘Dravidar Kazhagam’ (DK) movement out of the Justice Party and the Self-Respect Movement at the Salem Provincial Conference.[28] The DK, conceived as a movement and not a political party, insisted on an independent nation for Dravidians called Dravida Nadu consisting of areas that were covered under the Madras Presidency.[28]

Over the years, many disagreements arose between Periyar and his followers. In 1949, C. N. Annadurai and other members decided to take part in electoral politics and Periyar had strong objection on it. Annadurai and several of his followers decided to split from the DK movement and form the DMK.[29][30]

The Dravidian philosophy played a key role in the DMK at the helm of administration. It was described it as the earliest subaltern movement in the history of the Indian subcontinent politics to have political representation from former lower castes. This led to greater political participation, which improved representation of the emergent strata, enriched civic life, and subsequently strengthened pluralist democracy in the region.[31]

The DMK’s initial participation in electoral politics, in the 1957 legislative assembly elections, was mixed. While it won 15 seats, many prominent leaders such as Annadurai and V. R. Nedunchezhiyan were defeated. It fared somewhat better in the 1962 elections, winning 50 seats and becoming the main opposition party.[32]

The DMK inherited the anti-Hindi imposition policies of its parent organization, DK. Founder C.N. Annadurai had earlier participated in the anti-Hindi imposition agitations during 1938-40 and throughout the 1940s.

In July 1953, the DMK launched an agitation against the Union government’s proposed name-change of Kallakudi to Dalmiapuram. They claimed that the town’s proposed new name, proposed to be named after Ramkrishna Dalmia, symbolized the exploitation of South India by the North.[33][34] On 15 July, M. Karunanidhi and other DMK members removed the Hindi name from Dalmiapuram railway station’s name board and protested on the tracks. In the altercation with the police that followed the protests, two DMK members lost their lives, and several others, including Karunanidhi and Kannadasan, were arrested.[35]

The DMK continued its anti-Hindi Imposition policies throughout the 1950s, along with the secessionist demand for Dravida Nadu, which initially adopted a more radical stance than the Dravida Kazhagam.[36] On 28 January 1956, Annadurai, along with Periyar and Rajaji, signed a resolution passed by the Academy of Tamil Culture endorsing the continuation of English as the official language.[37][38] On 21 September 1957, the DMK convened an anti-Hindi conference to protest against the imposition of Hindi. It observed 13 October 1957 as “anti-Hindi day”.[39][40]

On 31 July 1960, another open-air anti-Hindi conference was held in Kodambakkam, Madras.[41] In November 1963, DMK dropped its secessionist demand in the wake of the Sino-Indian War and the passage of the anti-secessionist 16th Amendment to the Indian Constitution. The anti-Hindi stance remained and hardened with the passage of Official Languages Act of 1963.[42] The DMK’s view on Hindi’s eligibility for official language status were reflected in Annadurai’s response to the “numerical superiority of Hindi” argument: “If we had to accept the principle of numerical superiority while selecting our national bird, the choice would have fallen not on the peacock but on the common crow.”[43]

In the 1967 assembly election, DMK came to power in the Madras State, 18 years after its formation and 10 years after it had first entered electoral politics. This began the Dravidian era in the Madras province, which later became Tamil Nadu. In 1967, the Congress lost nine states to opposition parties, but it was only in Madras that a single non-Congress Party won a majority.[44] The electoral victory of 1967 is also reputed to be an electoral fusion among the non-Congress parties to avoid a split in the opposition votes. Rajagopalachari, a former senior leader of the Congress Party, had by then left the Congress and launched the right-wing Swatantra Party. He played a vital role in bringing about the electoral fusion amongst the opposition parties to align against the Congress.[45] Following the DMK’s victory in the 1967 election, Annadurai formed a cabinet that was the youngest in India at the time.[46]

Self-respect marriages were legalized in India during Annadurai’s tenure. Such marriages did not involve priests presiding over the ceremonies, and thus a Brahmin was not needed to carry out the wedding.[47] Self-respect marriages were a brainchild of Periyar, who regarded the then conventional marriages as mere financial arrangements which led to great debt through dowry in many cases. Self-respect marriages, according to him, encouraged inter-caste marriages and caused arranged marriages to be replaced by love marriages.[48]

Annadurai’s party was among the first in India to include a promise of subsidized rice in its election manifesto. He promised one rupee a measure of rice, which he initially implemented once in government, but had to withdraw later. Subsidizing rice costs are still used as an election promise in Tamil Nadu.[49]

It was Annadurai’s government that renamed Madras State to Tamil Nadu, its present-day name. The name change itself was first presented in the Rajya Sabha by Bhupesh Gupta, a communist MP from West Bengal, but was then defeated.[50] With Annadurai as chief minister, the state assembly succeeded in passing the bill renaming the state.[citation needed]

Annadurai’s government introduced a two-language policy, favoring Tamil and English over Hindi, which marked a significant shift from the previously proposed three language formula. The three-language formula, which was implemented in the neighboring states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, mandated students to study three languages: the regional language, English, and Hindi.[51]

In 1969, after Annadurai’s death, M. Karunanidhi was elected as his successor, defeating rival candidate V. R. Nedunchezhiyan. Karunanidhi headed the DMK until his own death in 2018.[15] He was also appointed as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu on 10 February 1969, sworn in by then Governor Sardar Ujjal Singh.[52]

In the 1970s, M. G. Ramachandran (M.G.R.), a popular actor and the party treasurer, had a political feud with the party president Karunanidhi. In 1972, M.G.R. called for a boycott of the party’s General Council. The crisis led to a call for a corruption probe by M.G.R. leading to his suspension from the General Council by the high-power committee of DMK.[citation needed] M.G.R. left the DMK and created a new political party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).[53]

In 1976, during the emergency period,[54] prime minister Indira Gandhi dismissed the Karunanidhi government,[55] fifty days before his tenure ended, citing failure to maintain law and order, implement emergency measures, uphold national discipline, and promote economic development.[56][57] The Sarkaria commission later investigated the DMK government for alleged irregularities in awarding tenders related to the Veeranam drainage project.[58] However, no corruption charges were formally proven against Karunanidhi in the court.[59][60]

The interim report of the Jain Commission, which oversaw the investigation into Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, indicted Karunanidhi for abetting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).[61] The interim report recommended that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and the DMK party be held responsible for abetting Rajiv Gandhi’s murderers. The final report contained no such allegations.[62]

• DMK lost the 1977 Assembly elections to the AIADMK, and stayed out of power in the state until 1989.[63] After MGR’s death in December 1987, AIADMK split into two factions led by MGR’s wife Janaki and Jayalalithaa. The DMK returned to power in the 1989 state assembly elections and for the third time, Karunanidhi took over as the chief minister in January 1989.
• The 1991 Lok Sabha election was held with the backdrop of DMK government having dissolved within two years of formation due to pressure from ex-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi leading an alliance with Samajwadi Janata Party. In the same year, Rajiv Gandhi was killed by a suicide bomber during his election campaign, and due to DMK’s pro-Tamil stance and the dismissal of the state government mid-campaign by Rajiv, public sentiments were against DMK and instead in favor of the AIADMK-Congress alliance, causing the DMK to not win any seats in the Parliament.
• In the 1996 state elections, DMK came to power on strength of corruption charges against Jayalalithaa and their alliance with Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC), headed by G.K. Moopanar.
• In 2001, the AIADMK, on strength of a strong alliance and anti-incumbency factor against DMK, came back to power in the state assembly elections.
• In the 2004 general election, DMK formed an alliance with Congress, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). The alliance won all 40 seats of the state including Puducherry. The DMK held 7 ministerial posts in the central government cabinet.
• Two years later in 2006, the same alliance won in the state assembly elections and the DMK formed a minority government in the state with help from Congress. M Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister of the state for the fifth time. The DMK-Congress alliance was also successful in the 2009 general elections.
• In the 2011 Assembly elections, held in the wake of the 2G case and allegations of nepotism, the DMK won only 23 seats, 127 seats less than earlier.
• In the 2014 general election, DMK failed to win any seats.
• In the 2016 state assembly elections, DMK won 89 seats. This was the most number for a single opposition party in the history of the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly.

Karunanidhi has faced accusations and criticism of favouring family members for prominent political and constitutional positions. His supporters have denied these allegations, describing the appointments as based on political trust and experience.[64] Karunanidhi’s nephew, Murasoli Maran, was a Union Minister under multiple governments.[65] M. K. Stalin was elected as the Mayor of Chennai and later as the deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu.[66] Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi has been appointed as the Rajya Sabha MP twice in 2007 and 2013.[67][68] Karunanidhi’s nephew’s son Dayanidhi Maran had been appointed as a Union Minister in 2004.[69] Karunanidhi’s grandson, M. K. Stalin’s son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, has been elected as an MLA in the state assembly.[70] Karunanidhi is also accused of allowing Azhagiri to function as an extraconstitutional authority in Madurai.[71]

Karunanidhi died on 7 August 2018, leaving the party in the hands of his son, M. K. Stalin. Stalin had been appointed as the working president in January 2017 when his father’s health started declining and had previously been named heir apparent by his father. Stalin thus became the second DMK president since the party’s inception.[72]

On 25 March 2018, the DMK held a statewide conference in Erode and M. K. Stalin released five slogans at the conference. They were:[73][74][75]

1. Let us keep an eye on the Kalaignar’s command
2. Let us grow and admire Tamil
3. Let us crush the power pile
4. Let us protect humanity from extremism
5. Let us grow a prosperous Tamil Nadu

During 2025 end the DMK constituted a committee headed by Kanimozhi, to prepare the manifesto for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election.[76] MK Stalin launched the party’s election manifesto portal on 3 January 2026 at the party headquarters.[77] Over 14,000 suggestions received was received from citizens across the state on the day day one.[78][77]

• In the 2019 general election,[79][80] DMK contested as part of the United Progressive Alliance led by the Indian National Congress. The alliance secured 38 out of 39 seats in Tamil Nadu with a 52% vote share.[81][82] and won in Puducherry.[83][84]
• The DMK-led Secular Progressive alliance secured a majority in the 2019 Tamil Nadu local body elections.[85][86]
• In the 2021 state assembly election, the Secular Progressive Alliance won a majority by securing 159 seats out of 234 seats with a 46% vote share.[87][88][89] Analysts partly attributed the victory to political developments within the AIADMK, including the rise and decline of V.K. Sasikala, and subsequent internal leadership challenges.[19]
• In the 2024 general election, as part of the INDIA Alliance, the DMK contested 21 constituencies. The alliance won all 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, resulting in a clean sweep in the region.[90]

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Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam follows the principle of Duty, Dignity, and Discipline, as instructed by C. N. Annadurai. This involves protecting democratic rights in politics, establishing a non-dominant society, and carrying out reform work based on rationality to promote the revival of Dravidian ideology. The party aims to overcome poverty in the economic sphere and provide means for the well-being of all on an equitable basis. The party also aims to develop and promote the respective state languages without allowing other languages to dominate. The party believes in promoting the decentralization of powers from the Union government and creating autonomy in the states and federalism at the center.[91]

The anti-Hindi Imposition agitations of 1965 forced the central government to abandon its efforts to use Hindi as the only official language of the country.

After The Emergency invoked by Indira Gandhi, more state powers like education and medical care were moved from state control to national control. At the state conference in Trichy after the death of Annadurai, Karunanidhi announced the adoption of the “state autonomy” principle to advocate for state self-governance. In April 1974, the DMK government brought in a resolution in the House urging the centre to accept the Rajamannar Committee recommendations on state autonomy and amend the Constitution of India to pave the way for a truly federal system.[1]

The DMK has been involved in the protest for OBC reservation, ensuring the provision legalizing OBC reservation.[92][93] The party holds OBC welfare as a tenet of its core ideology[94] and has implemented reservation related policies in favour of OBCs [95] and SCs.[96]

The DMK reconstituted the disabled persons welfare board to Differently Abled Persons Departments and changed official terms for transgender individuals to more respectful terms like “Thirunangai” and “Thirunambi”.[97]

The party’s election symbol is the “sun rising from between two mountains”, with a black and red flag pictured. The symbol was inspired by the Karunanidhi’s 1950s play Udaya Suryan and is intended to signify the “rising” spirit of the Dravidian people.[98]

In the 1957 poll, the DMK was not recognized by the Election Commission. The party was grouped as independents and was not united by its rising sun symbol and was forced to contest under the rooster symbol.[99]

Year Party leader Seats won Change in seats Percentage of votes Popular vote Outcome 1962 C. N. Annadurai 5 18.64% 2,315,610 Opposition 1967 18 51.79% 7,996,264 1971 M. Karunanidhi 2 55.61% 8,869,095 Government 1977 22 37.84% 6,758,517 Opposition 1980 15 55.89% 10,290,515 Government 1984 14 37.04% 8,006,513 Opposition 1989 2 33.78% 8,918,905 Lost 1991 27.64% 6,823,581 1996 17 54.96% 14,940,474 Government 1998 11 42.72% 10,937,809 Opposition 1999 6 46.41% 12,638,602 Government 2004 4 57.40% 16,483,390 2009 2 42.54% 12,929,043 2014 18 23.16% 10,243,767 Lost 2019 M. K. Stalin 24 32.76% 14,363,332 Opposition 2024 2 26.93% 11,689,879 Opposition Year Party leader Seats won Change in seats Percentage of votes Popular vote Outcome Puducherry 1974 M. Karunanidhi 2 47,823 Opposition 1977 1 30,441 1980 11 68,030 Government 1985 9 87,754 Others 1990 4 101,127 Government 1991 5 96,607 Opposition 1996 3 105,392 Government 2001 83,679 Opposition 2006 Government 2011 4 10.68% 74,552 Opposition 2016 1 8.9% 70,836 Government 2021 M. K. Stalin 4 18.51% 154,858 Opposition Tamil Nadu 1962 C. N. Annadurai 37 27.10% 3,435,633 Opposition 1967 87 40.69% 6,230,556 Government 1971 M. Karunanidhi 47 48.58% 7,654,935 1977 136 24.89% 4,258,771 Opposition 1980 11 22.1% 4,164,389 1984 13 29.3% 6,362,770 Others 1989 116 37.89% 9,135,220 Government 1991 148 22.5% 5,535,668 Others 1996 171 53.77% 14,600,748 Government 2001 142 30.90% 8,669,864 Opposition 2006 65 26.50% 8,728,716 MinorityGovernment 2011 73 22.40% 8,249,991 Others 2016 66 31.39% 13,670,511 Opposition 2021 M. K. Stalin 44 37.7% 17,430,179 Government Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Elections Year Assembly Party leader Seats contested Seats won Change in seats Percentage of votes Vote swing Popular vote Outcome 1972 5th M. Karunanidhi 3 0.26% 36,466 Lost 1978 6th 2 0.03% 0.23% 6,547 Karnataka Legislative Assembly Elections Year Assembly Party leader Seats contested Seats won Change in seats Percentage of votes Vote swing Popular vote Outcome 1978 6th M. Karunanidhi 3 0.13% 16,437 Lost Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections Year Assembly Party leader Seats contested Seats won Change in seats Percentage of votes Vote swing Popular vote Outcome 1970 4th M. Karunanidhi 1 0.02% 1,682 Lost Member Position in Government Party Position M. K. Stalin

• Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
• Member of the Legislative Assembly from Kolathur
• Former Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu

President Duraimurugan

• Minister for Water Resources of Tamil Nadu
• Member of the Legislative Assembly from Katpadi
• Leader of the House in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly

General Secretary T. R. Baalu

• Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Sriperumbudur
• Former Minister of Shipping of the Republic of India
• Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha

Treasurer and Lok Sabha Leader K. N. Nehru

• Minister for Municipal Administration
• Member of the Legislative Assembly from Tiruchirappalli West

Party Principal Secretary I. Periyasamy

• Minister for Rural Administration
• MLA from Aathoor

Deputy General Secretary Tiruchi Siva[100][101]

• Leader of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Rajya Sabha
• Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha

Deputy General Secretary A. Raja

• Member of Parliament (LS) from Nilgiris
• Former Union Minister for Information Technology

Deputy General Secretary Anthiyur P. Selvaraj

• Member of Rajya Sabha,
• Former State Minister for Handlooms and Textile

Deputy General Secretary Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

• Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Thoothukkudi
• Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha

R. S. Bharathi[102]

• Former Member of Parliament (RS)
• Former Chairman of Alandur Municipality

Organization Secretary T. K. S. Elangovan[103]

• Former Member of Parliament (RS)

Official Spokesperson Udhayanidhi Stalin

• Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
• Minister for Planning and Development
• Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development of Tamil Nadu
• Member of Legislative Assembly from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni

Youth Wing Secretary Dr. T R B Rajaa

• Minister for Industries,Investments and Commerce
• Member of Legislative Assembly from Mannargudi

Information Technology Wing Secretary Helena Davidson

• Former Member of Parliament (LS) from Kanniyakumari

Women’s Wing Secretary CVMP Ezhilarasan

• Member of Legislative Assembly from Kancheepuram

Students’ Wing Secretary Dayanidhi Maran

• Member of Parliament (LS) from Central Chennai
• Former Union Minister for Information Technology

Sports Wing Secretary Palanivel Thiagarajan

• Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services
• Member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Madurai Central

Assets Committee Secretary Dr Ezhilan Naganathan

• Member of Legislative Assembly from Thousand Lights

Medical Wing Secretary M M Abdulla

• Member of Parliament (RS)

NRI Wing Secretary No. Portrait Name(Birth-Death) Term in office Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 M. Karunanidhi(1924-2018) 27 July 1969 7 August 2018 49 years, 11 days 2 M. K. Stalin(born in 1953) 28 August 2018 incumbent 7 years, 192 days No. Portrait Name(Birth-Death) Term in office 1 M. K. Stalin(born in 1953) 4 January 2017 27 August 2018 1 year, 235 days No. Portrait Name(Birth-Death) Term in office Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 C. N. Annadurai(1909-1969) 17 September 1949 24 April 1955 13 years, 350 days 25 September 1960 3 February 1969 2 V. R. Nedunchezhiyan(1920-2000) 24 April 1955 24 September 1960 13 years, 254 days 4 February 1969 16 May 1977 3 K. Anbazhagan(1922-2020) 17 May 1977 7 March 2020 42 years, 295 days 4 Duraimurugan(born in 1938) 9 September 2020 Incumbent 5 years, 180 days No. Portrait Name(Birth-Death) Term in office Assembly(Election) Elected constituency Ministry Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 C. N. Annadurai(1909-1969) 6 March 1967 13 January 1969 1 year, 313 days 4th(1967) Member of the Legislative Council Annadurai No. Portrait Name(Birth-Death) Term in office Ministry Constituency AssemblyElection Start End Durationin days 1 C. N. Annadurai(1909-1969) 14 January 1969 3 February 1969 20 days Annadurai Tamil Nadu Legislative Council 4th(1967) Acting V. R. Nedunchezhiyan(1910-1988) 3 February 1969 10 February 1969 7 days Nedunchezhiyan I Triplicane 4th(1967) 2 M. Karunanidhi(1924-2018) 10 February 1969 14 March 1971 2 years, 32 days Karunanidhi I Saidapet 4th(1967) 15 March 1971 31 January 1976 4 years, 322 days Karunanidhi II 5th(1971) 27 January 1989 30 January 1991 2 years, 3 days Karunanidhi III Harbour 11th(1989) 13 May 1996 13 May 2001 5 years, 0 days Karunanidhi IV Chepauk 11th(1996) 13 May 2006 15 May 2011 5 years, 2 days Karunanidhi V 13th(2006) 3 M. K. Stalin[104][105](born 1953) 7 May 2021 Incumbent 4 years, 305 days Stalin Kolathur 16th(2021) No. Portrait Name(Birth-Death) Term in office Assembly(Election) Elected constituency Chief Minister Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 M. K. Stalin(1953-) 29 May 2009 15 May 2011 1 year, 351 days 13th(2006) Thousand Lights M. Karunanidhi 2 Udhayanidhi Stalin(1977-) 28 September 2024 Incumbent 1 year, 161 days 16th(2021) Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni M. K. Stalin No. Portrait Name

(Birth-Death)

Elected constituency Term of office (Assembly)(Election) Appointed by(LieutenantGovernor) Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 M. O. H. Farook(1937-2012) Kalapet 17 March 1969 2 January 1974 4 years, 291 days 3rd(1969 election) B. D. Jatti 2 M. D. R. Ramachandran(Unknown) Mannadipet 16 January 1980 23 June 1983 3 years, 158 days 6th(1980 election) B. T. Kulkarni 3 8 March 1990 2 March 1991 359 days 8th(1990 election) Chandrawati 4 R. V. Janakiraman(1941-2019) Nellithope 26 May 1996 21 March 2000 3 years, 300 days 10th(1996election) Rajendra Kumari Bajpai No. Portrait Name

(Birth-Death)

Elected constituency Term of office Assembly(Election) Appointed by(Speaker) Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 M. Karunanidhi(1924-2018) Anna Nagar 25 July 1977 17 February 1980 5 years, 259 days 6th(1977) Munu Adhi 27 June 1980 18 August 1983 7th(1980) K. Rajaram 2 K. Anbazhagan(1922-2020) Harbour 24 May 2001 14 April 2006 4 years, 325 days 12th(2001) K. Kalimuthu 3 M. K. Stalin(born 1953) Kolathur 4 June 2016 3 May 2021 4 years, 333 days 15th(2016) P. Dhanapal No. Portrait Name

(Birth-Death)

Elected constituency Term of office Assembly((election)) Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 R.V. Janakiraman Nellithope 22 March 2000 15 May 2001 1 year, 54 days 10th(1996 election) 16 May 2001 11 May 2006 4 years, 360 days 11th(2001 election) 2 A. M. H. Nazeem Karaikal 29 May 2006 May 2011 5 years, 0 days 12th(2006 election) 3 R. Siva Villianur 8 May 2021[106] Incumbent 4 years, 304 days 15th(2021 election) Leader of the Opposition Term Start Term End Duration V. R. Nedunchezhiyan 29 March 1962 28 February 1967 4 years, 337 days No. Name DeputySpeaker Took office Left office Duration 1 Pulavar K. Govindan G. R. Edmund 22 February1969 14 March 1971 2 years, 20 days N. Ganapathy 3 August 1973 3 July 1977 3 years, 334 days 2 K. A. Mathiazagan P. Seenivasan 24 March 1971 2 December 1972 1 year, 253 days Acting P. Seenivasan (Acting Speaker) 2 December 1972 3 August 1973 1 year, 172 days 3 M. Tamilkudimagan V. P. Duraisamy 8 February 1989 30 June 1991 2 years, 172 days 4 P. T. R. Palanivel Rajan Parithi Ilamvazhuthi 23 May 1996 21 May 2001 4 years, 363 days 5 R. Avudaiappan V. P. Duraisamy 19 May 2006 15 May 2011 4 years, 361 days 6 M. Appavu K. Pitchandi 12 May 2021 Incumbent 4 years, 300 days # Portrait Minister(Birth-Death)Constituency Term of office Portfolio Ministry Prime Minister From To Period 1 Murasoli Maran(1934-2003)MP for Chennai South 2 December1989 10 November1990 343 days Minister of Urban Development Vishwanath V. P. Singh No. Portrait Portfolio Name(Birth-Death) Term in office Constituency(House) Prime Minister Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 Minister of Industry Murasoli Maran(1934-2003) 1 June 1996 21 April1997 324 days Chennai Central(Lok Sabha) H. D. Deve Gowda 2 Minister of Surface Transport T. G. Venkatraman(1931-2013) 1 June 1996 21 April1997 324 days Tindivanam(Lok Sabha) 3 Minister of Defence(MoS) N. V. N. Somu(-) 6 July 1996 21 April1997 289 days Chennai North(Lok Sabha) 4 Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas(MoS) T. R. Baalu(born 1941) 6 July 1996 21 April1997 289 days Chennai South(Lok Sabha) No. Portrait Portfolio Name(Birth-Death) Term in office Constituency(House) Prime Minister Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 Minister of Industry Murasoli Maran(1934-2003) 21 April1997 19 March1998 332 days Chennai Central(Lok Sabha) I. K. Gujral 2 Minister of Surface Transport T. G. Venkatraman(1931-2013) 21 April1997 19 March1998 332 days Tindivanam(Lok Sabha) Minister of Urban Affairs & Employment 14 November1997 12 December1997 28 days 3 Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas(MoS) T. R. Baalu(born 1941) 21 April1997 19 March1998 332 days Chennai South(Lok Sabha) Minister of Non-Conventional Energy Sources(MoS) 11 January1998 19 March1998 67 days 4 Minister of Defence(MoS) N. V. N. Somu(-) 21 April1997 14 November1997(died in office) 207 days Chennai North(Lok Sabha) No. Portrait Portfolio Name(Birth-Death) Term in office Constituency(House) Prime Minister Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 Minister of Commerce & Industry Murasoli Maran(1934-2003) 13 October1999 9 November2002 3 years, 27 days Chennai Central(Lok Sabha) Atal Bihari Vajpayee Minister without portfolio 9 November2002 23 November2003 1 year, 14 days 2 Minister of Environment & Forests T. R. Baalu(born 1941) 13 October1999 21 December2003 4 years, 69 days Chennai South(Lok Sabha) 3 Minister of Rural Development(MoS) A. Raja(born 1963) 13 October1999 30 September2001 1 year, 352 days Perambalur(Lok Sabha) Minister of Health & Family Welfare(MoS) 30 September2000 21 December2003 3 years, 82 days No. Portrait Portfolio Name(Birth-Death) Term in office Constituency(House) Prime Minister Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 Minister of Environment and Forests A. Raja(born 1963) 23 May2004 15 May2007 2 years, 357 days Perambalur(Lok Sabha) Manmohan Singh Minister of Communications & Information Technology 15 May2007 22 May2009 2 years, 7 days 2 Minister of Communications & Information Technology Dayanidhi Maran(born 1966) 23 May2004 15 May2007 2 years, 357 days Chennai Central(Lok Sabha) 3 Minister of Road Transport and Highways T. R. Baalu(born 1941) 23 May2004 22 May2009 4 years, 364 days Chennai South(Lok Sabha) Minister of Shipping 25 May 2004 2 September2004[a] 100 days 4 Minister of Law and Justice(MoS) K. Venkatapathy(born 1946) 23 May2004 22 May2009 4 years, 364 days Cuddalore(Lok Sabha) 5 Minister of Home Affairs(MoS) S. Regupathy(born 1950) 23 May2004 15 May2007 2 years, 357 days Pudukkottai(Lok Sabha) Minister of Environment and Forests(MoS) 15 May2007 22 May2009 2 years, 7 days 6 Minister of Commerce and Industry(MoS) S. S. Palanimanickam(born 1950) 23 May2004 25 May 2004 2 days Thanjavur(Lok Sabha) Minister of Finance(Revenue, from 29 January 2006)(MoS) 25 May 2004 22 May2009 4 years, 362 days 7 Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment(MoS) Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan(born 1947) 23 May2004 22 May2009 4 years, 364 days Tiruchengode(Lok Sabha) 8 Minister of Home Affairs(MoS) V. Radhika Selvi(born 1976) 18 May2007 22 May2009 2 years, 4 days Tiruchendur(Lok Sabha) No. Portrait Portfolio Name(Birth-Death) Term in office Constituency(House) Prime Minister Assumed office Left office Time in office 1 Minister of Communications & Information Technology A. Raja(born 1963) 28 May2009 15 November2010[107][108][109] 1 year, 171 days Nilgiris(Lok Sabha) Manmohan Singh 2 Minister of Textiles Dayanidhi Maran(born 1966) 28 May2009 12 July2011[110][111] 2 years, 45 days Chennai Central(Lok Sabha) 3 Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers M. K. Alagiri(born 1951) 28 May2009 21 March2013[112] 3 years, 297 days Madurai(Lok Sabha) 4 Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment(MoS) D. Napoleon(born 1963) Perambalur(Lok Sabha) 5 Minister of Health & Family Welfare(MoS) S. Gandhiselvan(born 1963) Namakkal(Lok Sabha) 6 Minister of Finance(Revenue)(MoS) S. S. Palanimanickam(born 1950) Thanjavur(Lok Sabha) 7 Minister of Information & Broadcasting(MoS) S. Jagathrakshakan(born 1950) 28 May2009 28 October2012 3 years, 153 days Arakkonam(Lok Sabha) Minister of New & Renewable Energy(MoS) 28 October2012 2 November2012 5 days Minister of Commerce & Industry(MoS) 2 November2012 21 March2013[113] 139 days Portrait Name(Birth-Death) Elected constituency Lok Sabha(Election) Speaker Assumed office Left office Time in office Prime Minister G. Lakshmanan(1924-2001) Chennai North 7th(1980) Balram Jakhar(INC) 1 December 1980 31 December 1984 4 years, 30 days Indira Gandhi

There are two major parties that have been formed as a result of splits from the DMK, which are

• All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), founded on 17 October 1972 by the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. G. Ramachandran (M.G.R.).
• Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), founded on 6 May 1994 by Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha Vaiko.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party runs two newspapers: an English weekly named The Rising Sun and a Tamil daily named Murasoli.[114]

Kalaignar TV is a TV channel group started on 15 September 2007 and managed by Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and Dayalu Ammal, the daughter and wife of Karunanidhi. The group has multiple sister channels: Kalaignar Isai Aruvi (24×7 Tamil music channel), Kalaignar Seithigal (24×7 Tamil news channel), Kalaignar Sirippoli (24×7 Tamil comedy channel), Kalaignar Chithiram (24×7 Tamil cartoon channel), Kalaignar Murasu(24×7 Tamil movie channel) and Kalaignar Asia.[115]

• Politics of Tamil Nadu
• All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
• 2G spectrum case
• Granite scam in Tamil Nadu
• Controversy of arrests in Tamil Nadu about construction of flyovers
• Dinakaran attack
• Leelavathi murder
• Kallakudi demonstration
• Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi
• Politics of India
• List of political parties in India
• Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance

• Official website
• Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — entry at Encyclopædia Britannica