Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

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. Karunanidhi followed Annadurai as the first president of the party from 1969 until his death on 7 August 2018. He also served as the chief minister for five non-consecutive terms, in two of which he was dismissed by the Union government. The DMK became the fifth-largest party in the Lok Sabha after the 2024 Indian general election. It currently holds 59 seats in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, where the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance holds 73 out of 234 seats.

• Name — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam • Colorcode — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam • Abbreviation — DMK • President — M. K. Stalin • General Secretary — Durai Murugan • Founder — C. N. Annadurai • Ppchairman — Kanimozhi Rajathi Karunanidhi • Loksabha Leader — T. R. Baalu • Rajyasabha Leader — Tiruchi Siva • State Seats Name — Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly • State2 Seats Name — Puducherry Legislative Assembly • Eci — State Party • Alliance — SPA (Tamil Nadu and Puducherry) Former Alliances • Ideology — * Dravidianism Tamil nationalism • Regionalism • Social democracy Progressivism • Secularism • Position — Centre-left • Predecessor — Justice Party (1916–1944) Dravidar Kazhagam (1944–1949) • Split — Dravidar Kazhagam • Labour — Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) • Youth — Ilaignar Ani • Students — Maanavar Ani • Women — Magalir Ani • Headquarters — Anna Arivalayam,

• Illustration — Party flags in Madurai, Tamil Nadu 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. The Justice Party, whose objectives included social equality and justice, came to power in the first general elections to the Madras Presidency in 1920. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

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 V. R. Nedunchezhiyan were defeated. It fared somewhat better in the 1962 elections, winning 50 seats and becoming the main opposition party by founder annadurai lost his seat.

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. 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. 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. 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. 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". On 31 July 1960, another open-air anti-Hindi conference was held in Kodambakkam, Madras. 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. 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."

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. 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. Following the DMK's victory in the 1967 election, Annadurai formed a cabinet that was the youngest in India at the time.

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. 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. 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. 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. With Annadurai as chief minister, the state assembly succeeded in passing the bill renaming the state. 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.

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. He was also appointed as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu on 10 February 1969, sworn in by then Governor Sardar Ujjal Singh. 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. M.G.R. left the DMK and created a new political party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). In 1976, during the emergency period, prime minister Indira Gandhi dismissed the Karunanidhi government, fifty days before his tenure ended, citing failure to maintain law and order, implement emergency measures, uphold national discipline, and promote economic development. The Sarkaria Commission later investigated the DMK government for alleged irregularities in awarding tenders related to the Veeranam drainage project. However, no corruption charges were formally proven against Karunanidhi in the court. The interim report of the Jain Commission, which oversaw the investigation into the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, indicted Karunanidhi for abetting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). 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.

• DMK lost the 1977 Assembly elections to the AIADMK, and stayed out of power in the state until 1989. 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. Karunanidhi's nephew, Murasoli Maran, was a Union Minister under multiple governments. M. K. Stalin was elected as the Mayor of Chennai and later as the deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi has been appointed as the Rajya Sabha MP twice in 2007 and 2013. Karunanidhi's nephew's son Dayanidhi Maran had been appointed as a Union Minister in 2004. Karunanidhi's grandson, M. K. Stalin's son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, has been elected as an MLA in the state assembly. Karunanidhi is also accused of allowing Azhagiri to function as an extraconstitutional authority in Madurai.

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. On 25 March 2018, the DMK held a statewide conference in Erode and M. K. Stalin released five slogans at the conference. They were: • Let us keep an eye on the Kalaignar's command • Let us grow and admire Tamil • Let us crush the power pile • Let us protect humanity from extremism • 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. MK Stalin launched the party's election manifesto portal on 3 January 2026 at the party headquarters. Over 14,000 suggestions received was received from citizens across the state on the day day one.

• In the 2019 general election, 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. and won in Puducherry. • The DMK-led Secular Progressive alliance secured a majority in the 2019 Tamil Nadu local body elections. • 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. 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. • 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.

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.

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.

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

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. 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.

• Year — Party Leader — Assembly — Seats contested — Seats won — (+/-) in seats — % of votes — Vote swing — Popular vote — Outcome • 1962 — C. N. Annadurai — 3rd — 18 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 18.64% — 23,15,610 — Oppposition • 1967 — 4th — 25 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 18 — 35.78% — 55,24,514 — Oppposition • 1971 — M. Karunanidhi — 5th — 24 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 2 — 35.25% — 56,22,758 — Government • 1977 — 6th — 19 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 21 — 18.61% — 33,23,320 — Oppposition • 1980 — 7th — 16 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 14 — 23.01% — 42,36,537 — Government • 1984 — 8th — 27 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 14 — 25.90% — 55,97,507 — Oppposition • 1989 — 9th — 31 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 2 — 26.66% — 70,38,849 — Lost • 1991 — 10th — 29 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 22.69% — 56,01,597 — Oppposition • 1996 — 11th — 17 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 17 — 25.63% — 69,67,679 — Government • 1998 — 12th — 17 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 12 — 20.08% — 51,40,266 — Oppposition • 1999 — 13th — 19 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 7 — 23.13% — 62,98,832 — Government • 2004 — 14th — 16 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 4 — 24.60% — 70,64,393 — Government • 2009 — 15th — 22 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 1 — 23.90% — 72,64,923 — Government • 2014 — 16th — 34 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 17 — 23.91% — 95,70,666 — Lost • 2019 — M. K. Stalin — 17th — 24 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 24 — 33.10% — 1,43,63,332 — Oppposition • 2024 — 18th — 22 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 2 — 26.93% — 1,16,89,879 — Oppposition

• Year — Party Leader — Assembly — Seats contested — Seats won — (+/-) in seats — % of votes — Vote swing — Popular vote — Outcome • 1962 — C. N. Annadurai — 3rd — 143 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 27.10% — 34,35,633 — Oppposition • 1967 — 4th — 174 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 87 — 40.69% — 13.59 — 62,30,552 — Government • 1971 — M. Karunanidhi — 5th — 203 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 47 — 48.58% — 7.89 — 76,54,935 — Government • 1977 — 6th — 230 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 136 — 24.89% — 23.69 — 42,58,771 — Opposition • 1980 — 7th — 112 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 11 — 22.10% — 2.79 — 41,64,389 — Opposition • 1984 — 8th — 167 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 13 — 29.34% — 7.24 — 63,62,770 — Opposition • 1989 — 9th — 202 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 126 — 33.18% — 3.84 — 80,01,222 — Government • 1991 — 10th — 176 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 148 — 22.46% — 10.72 — 55,35,668 — Lost • 1996 — 11th — 182 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 171 — 42.07% — 19.61 — 1,14,23,380 — Government • 2001 — 12th — 183 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 142 — 30.92% — 11.15 — 86,69,864 — Opposition • 2006 — 13th — 132 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 65 — 26.46% — 4.46 — 87,28,716 — Government • 2011 — 14th — 124 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 73 — 22.39% — 4.07 — 82,49,991 — Lost • 2016 — 15th — 180 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 65 — 31.64% — 9.25 — 1,36,69,116 — Opposition • 2021 — M. K. Stalin — 16th — 188 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 45 — 37.70% — 6.06 — 1,74,30,179 — Government • 2026 — 17th — 176 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 74 — 24.19% — 13.51 — 1,19,29,144 — Opposition

• Year — Party Leader — Assembly — Seats contested — Seats won — (+/-) in seats — % of votes — Vote swing — Popular vote — Outcome • 1969 — C. N. Annadurai — 3rd — 19 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 33.70% — 61,717 — Government • 1974 — M. Karunanidhi — 4th — 26 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 13 — 21.89% — 47,823 — Opposition • 1977 — 5th — 26 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 1 — 13.49% — 30,441 — Opposition • 1980 — 6th — 15 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 11 — 27.73% — 68,030 — Government • 1985 — 7th — 22 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 9 — 29.08% — 87,754 — Opposition • 1990 — 8th — 18 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 4 — 24.07% — 1,01,127 — Government • 1991 — 9th — 19 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 5 — 24.71% — 96,607 — Opposition • 1996 — 10th — 18 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 3 — 22.90% — 1,05,392 — Government • 2001 — 11th — 15 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 17.54% — 83,679 — Opposition • 2006 — 12th — 11 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 12.59% — 71,173 — Opposition • 2011 — 13th — 10 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 5 — 10.68% — 74,552 — Opposition • 2016 — 14th — 9 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 8.85% — 70,836 — Government • 2021 — M. K. Stalin — 15th — 13 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 4 — 18.51% — 1,54,858 — Opposition • 2026 — 16th — 13 — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — 1 — 13.74% — 1,19,036 — Opposition

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 — rowspan=2 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

Keralam 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 — *Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu *Member of the Legislative Assembly from Kolathur *Former Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu — President • Duraimurugan — *Former Minister for Water Resources of Tamil Nadu *Former Member of the Legislative Assembly from Katpadi *Former 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 — *Former Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly *Member of the Legislative Assembly from Tiruchirappalli West — Party Principal Secretary • I. Periyasamy — * Former Minister for Rural Administration * MLA from Aathoor — Deputy General Secretary • Tiruchi Siva — * 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 Rajathi Karunanidhi — *Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Thoothukkudi *Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha — * Deputy General Secretary and * Parliamentary Chairperson • R. S. Bharathi — * Former Member of Parliament (RS) * Former Chairman of Alandur Municipality — Organization Secretary • T. K. S. Elangovan — * Former Member of Parliament (RS) — Official Spokesperson • Udhayanidhi Stalin — * Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly * Former 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 • T. R. B. Rajaa — * Former Minister for Industries, Investments and Commerce * Former Member of Legislative Assembly from Mannargudi — Information Technology Wing Secretary • Helena Davidson — * Former Member of Parliament (LS) from Kanniyakumari — Women's Wing Secretary • C. V. M. P. 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 — * Former Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services * Former Member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Madurai Central — Assets Committee Secretary • Ezhilan Naganathan — * Former 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 • 2 — • Illustration — The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru MK Stalin — M. K. Stalin (born in 1953) — 28 August 2018 — incumbent

• No. — Portrait — Name (Birth–Death) — Term in office • 1 — • Illustration — The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru MK Stalin — M. K. Stalin (born in 1953) — 4 January 2017 — 27 August 2018

• 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

• 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 — Assembly Election • Start — End — Duration in 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 — ' — Karunanidhi I — Saidapet — 4th (1967) • 15 March 1971 — 31 January 1976 — ' — Karunanidhi II — 5th (1971) • 27 January 1989 — 30 January 1991 — ' — Karunanidhi III — Harbour — 11th (1989) • 13 May 1996 — 13 May 2001 — ' — Karunanidhi IV — Chepauk — 11th (1996) • 13 May 2006 — 15 May 2011 — ' — Karunanidhi V — 13th (2006) • 3 — • Illustration — The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru MK Stalin — M. K. Stalin (born 1953) — 7 May 2021 — 10 May 2026 — ' — 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 — 10 May 2026 — 16th (2021) — Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni — M. K. Stalin

• No. — Portrait — Name (Birth–Death) — Elected constituency — Term of office — (Assembly) (Election) — Appointed by (Lieutenant Governor) • 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 (1934–2024) — 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 (1996 election) — 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 • 3 — — Udhayanidhi Stalin (born 1977) — Chepauk-Triplicane — 10 May 2026 — Incumbent — 17th (2026) — J. C. D. Prabhakar

• 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 — ' — | 10th (1996 election) • 16 May 2001 — 11 May 2006 — ' — 11th (2001 election) • 2 — — A. M. H. Nazeem — Karaikal — 29 May 2006 — May 2011 — ' — 12th (2006 election) • 3 — — R. Siva — Villianur — 8 May 2021 — Incumbent — ' — 15th (2021 election)

• Leader of the Opposition — Term Start — Term End — Duration • V. R. Nedunchezhiyan — 29 March 1962 — 28 February 1967 — '

• No. — Name — Deputy Speaker — Took office — Left office — Duration • 1 — Pulavar K. Govindan — G. R. Edmund — 22 February 1969 — 14 March 1971 — ' • N. Ganapathy — 3 August 1973 — 3 July 1977 — ' • 2 — K. A. Mathiazagan — P. Seenivasan — 24 March 1971 — 2 December 1972 — ' • Acting — P. Seenivasan (Acting Speaker) — 2 December 1972 — 3 August 1973 — ' • 3 — M. Tamilkudimagan — V. P. Duraisamy — 8 February 1989 — 30 June 1991 — ' • 4 — P. T. R. Palanivel Rajan — Parithi Ilamvazhuthi — 23 May 1996 — 21 May 2001 — ' • 5 — R. Avudaiappan — V. P. Duraisamy — 19 May 2006 — 15 May 2011 — ' • 6 — M. Appavu — K. Pitchandi — 12 May 2021 — 11 May 2026 — '

• # — 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 December 1989 — 10 November 1990 — 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 April 1997 — ' — Chennai Central (Lok Sabha) — H. D. Deve Gowda — rowspan=4 Janata Dal (Secular) • 2 — — Minister of Surface Transport — T. G. Venkatraman (1931–2013) — 1 June 1996 — 21 April 1997 — ' — Tindivanam (Lok Sabha) • 3 — — Minister of Defence (MoS Minister of State) — N. V. N. Somu (–) — 6 July 1996 — 21 April 1997 — ' — Chennai North (Lok Sabha) • 4 — — Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoS Minister of State) — T. R. Baalu (born 1941) — 6 July 1996 — 21 April 1997 — ' — 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 April 1997 — 19 March 1998 — ' — Chennai Central (Lok Sabha) — I. K. Gujral — rowspan=6 Janata Dal (Secular) • 2 — — Minister of Surface Transport — T. G. Venkatraman (1931–2013) — 21 April 1997 — 19 March 1998 — ' — Tindivanam (Lok Sabha) • Minister of Urban Affairs & Employment — 14 November 1997 — 12 December 1997 — ' • 3 — — Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoS Minister of State) — T. R. Baalu (born 1941) — 21 April 1997 — 19 March 1998 — ' — Chennai South (Lok Sabha) • Minister of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MoS Minister of State) — 11 January 1998 — 19 March 1998 — ' • 4 — — Minister of Defence (MoS Minister of State) — N. V. N. Somu (–) — 21 April 1997 — 14 November 1997 (died in office) — ' — 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 October 1999 — 9 November 2002 — 3 years, 27 days — Chennai Central (Lok Sabha) — Atal Bihari Vajpayee — rowspan=6 Bharatiya Janata Party • Minister without portfolio — 9 November 2002 — 23 November 2003 — ' • 2 — — Minister of Environment & Forests — T. R. Baalu (born 1941) — 13 October 1999 — 21 December 2003 — ' — Chennai South (Lok Sabha) • 3 — — Minister of Rural Development (MoS Minister of State) — A. Raja (born 1963) — 13 October 1999 — 30 September 2001 — ' — Perambalur (Lok Sabha) • Minister of Health & Family Welfare (MoS Minister of State) — 30 September 2000 — 21 December 2003 — '

• 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 May 2004 — 15 May 2007 — ' — Perambalur (Lok Sabha) — Manmohan Singh — rowspan=12 Indian National Congress • Minister of Communications & Information Technology — 15 May 2007 — 22 May 2009 — ' • 2 — — Minister of Communications & Information Technology — Dayanidhi Maran (born 1966) — 23 May 2004 — 15 May 2007 — ' — Chennai Central (Lok Sabha) • 3 — — Minister of Road Transport and Highways — T. R. Baalu (born 1941) — 23 May 2004 — 22 May 2009 — ' — Chennai South (Lok Sabha) • Minister of Shipping — 25 May 2004 — 2 September 2004 — ' • 4 — — Minister of Law and Justice (MoS Minister of State) — K. Venkatapathy (born 1946) — 23 May 2004 — 22 May 2009 — |' — Cuddalore (Lok Sabha) • 5 — — Minister of Home Affairs (MoS Minister of State) — S. Regupathy (born 1950) — 23 May 2004 — 15 May 2007 — ' — Pudukkottai (Lok Sabha) • Minister of Environment and Forests (MoS Minister of State) — 15 May 2007 — 22 May 2009 — ' • 6 — — Minister of Commerce and Industry (MoS Minister of State) — S. S. Palanimanickam (born 1950) — 23 May 2004 — 25 May 2004 — ' — Thanjavur (Lok Sabha) • Minister of Finance (Revenue, from 29 January 2006) (MoS Minister of State) — 25 May 2004 — 22 May 2009 — ' • 7 — — Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoS Minister of State) — Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan (born 1947) — 23 May 2004 — 22 May 2009 — ' — Tiruchengode (Lok Sabha) • 8 — — Minister of Home Affairs (MoS Minister of State) — V. Radhika Selvi (born 1976) — 18 May 2007 — 22 May 2009 — ' — 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 May 2009 — 15 November 2010 — ' — Nilgiris (Lok Sabha) — Manmohan Singh — rowspan=9 Indian National Congress • 2 — — Minister of Textiles — Dayanidhi Maran (born 1966) — 28 May 2009 — 12 July 2011 — ' — Chennai Central (Lok Sabha) • 3 — — Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers — M. K. Alagiri (born 1951) — 28 May 2009 — 21 March 2013 — ' — Madurai (Lok Sabha) • 4 — — Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoS Minister of State) — D. Napoleon (born 1963) — Perambalur (Lok Sabha) • 5 — — Minister of Health & Family Welfare (MoS Minister of State) — S. Gandhiselvan (born 1963) — Namakkal (Lok Sabha) • 6 — — Minister of Finance (Revenue) (MoS Minister of State) — S. S. Palanimanickam (born 1950) — Thanjavur (Lok Sabha) • 7 — — Minister of Information & Broadcasting (MoS Minister of State) — S. Jagathrakshakan (born 1950) — 28 May 2009 — 28 October 2012 — ' — Arakkonam (Lok Sabha) • Minister of New & Renewable Energy (MoS Minister of State) — 28 October 2012 — 2 November 2012 — ' • Minister of Commerce & Industry (MoS Minister of State) — 2 November 2012 — 21 March 2013 — '

• 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. 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.