All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
|---|---|
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| Abbreviation | AIADMK |
| General Secretary | Edappadi K. Palaniswami |
| Parliamentary Chairperson | M. Thambidurai |
| Rajya Sabha Leader | M. Thambidurai |
| Treasurer | Dindigul C. Sreenivasan |
| Founder | M. G. Ramachandran |
| Founded | 17 October 1972; 53 years ago (1972-10-17) |
| Split from | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Headquarters | Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Maaligai, 226, V.P. Raman Salai,Royapettah,Chennai – 600014,Tamil Nadu, India |
| Newspaper | Namadhu Amma(Tamil)[1] |
| Student wing | AIADMK Students' Wing |
| Youth wing | M.G.R. Youth Wing |
| Women's wing | AIADMK Women's Wing |
| Labour wing | Anna Thozhirsanga Peravai |
| Peasant's wing | AIADMK Agriculture Wing |
| Ideology | Populism[2] Socialism[3] Welfarism[4] Secularism[5] Regionalism[6] Social justice[7] Tamil nationalism[8][9] |
| Political position | Centre-left[10][11] |
| Colours | Green |
| ECI Status | State party[12] |
| Alliance |
Former Alliances
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| Seats in Rajya Sabha | 4 / 245 |
| Seats in Lok Sabha | 0 / 543 |
| Seats in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly | 60 / 234 |
| Number of states and union territories in government | 0 / 31 |
| Election symbol | |
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| Party flag | |
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| Website | |
| AIADMK | |
TheAll India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (transl. All India Anna Dravidian Progressive Federation;abbr.AIADMK) is an Indianregionalpolitical party with the most influence in theunion territory ofPuducherry and state ofTamil Nadu. It is aDravidian party adhering to the policies ofsocialism andsecularism based on the principles ofC. N. Annadurai collectively coined asAnnaism.[13] The party is one of the most successful political outfits in Tamil Nadu and has won the majority in theTamil Nadu Legislative Assembly most number of times (seven).[14] As of 2025[update], it is the mainopposition party in the legislative assembly. The party is headquartered at Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Maaligai located atRoyapettah inChennai.[15]
The party was founded on 17 October 1972 after a breakaway from theDravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).M. G. Ramachandran launched the party, which was earlier registered byAnakaputhur Ramalingam, and became the firstgeneral secretary. It was founded after Ramachandran was expelled from the DMK by its presidentM. Karunanidhi after he demanded the accounts of the party as the partytreasurer.[16][17] The party won the elections to theTamil Nadu Legislative Assembly three times consecutively in1977,1980, and1985 under the leadership of Ramachandran, who served as thechief minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 to 1987.[18]
After Ramachandran's death in December 1987, the party was split briefly between Ramachandran's wifeV. N. Janaki andJ. Jayalalithaa. The party was led by Jayalalithaa from January 1988 till her death in December 2016. Jayalalithaa served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu five times.[19] She was popular among the party cadres, and was fondly referred to as "Amma" (Mother).[20][21]
After Jayalalithaa's death and brief tussle for leadership, the party was under thedual leadership ofO. Panneerselvam andEdappadi K. Palaniswami as coordinator and joint coordinator respectively from August 2017 23 June 2022.[22][23][24] Paneerselvan succeeded Jayalilathaa as the chief minister briefly, before Palaniswami occupied the position from February 2017 to May 2021. Since 11 July 2022, the party has been led by Palaniswami, who serves as the general secretary.[25]
The AIADMK sought to depoliticise the education policy of the government by not insisting that education be in the Tamil language. Policies of the AIADMK were targeted at the poorer segments of Tamil society—the poor, rickshaw pullers, and destitute women—and centralising the massive Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Nutritious Meal Programme for children.[26] There was ambivalence towards the reservation policy and the interests of farmers. The party functions on the principles and the ideals ofE. V. Ramasami and the formerchief ministers of Tamil NaduC. N. Annadurai,M. G. Ramachandran andJ. Jayalalithaa.[27]
The AIADMK posted an array of welfare schemes targeting thehuman development index of the state. The AIADMK has schemes listed in the election manifestos covering segments of the population, including fishermen, farmers, and schoolchildren. Until the 2000s, the parties had welfare programmes such as maternity leave, subsidies for public transportation, and educational grants. After the 2000s, the parties started competing at an increasing level for the distribution of consumer goods. The AIADMK government distributed free bicycles to class 11 and 12 students during its tenure of 2001–06. In its manifesto for the2006 assembly elections, the DMK promised free colour televisions in competition with other parties. The competition continued during the2011 assembly elections, when both parties announced free laptops for school students and mixers, fans, and blenders for the public.[28]
The party remains firm in its support for the "two-language policy", in opposition to demands to have Hindi as the sole lingua franca language, where Tamil and English are the two main languages ofTamil Nadu.[29] The party provided₹1lakh (US$1,200) for temples of local deities in 2016.[30]
In 2012, the AIADMK-ledgovernment announced the "Vision 2023" document, which embodied a strategic plan for infrastructure development that included raising the per capita income of residents to $10 thousand per annum, matching theHuman Development Index to that of developed countries by 2023, providing high-quality infrastructure all over the state, and making Tamil Nadu the knowledge capital and innovation hub of India.[31] This project had three components: the overall vision document, the compilation of the project profile, and the road map.[32] In the spring of 2019, the party lauded the economic policies of theNarendra Modi-ledgovernment, stating that the government had ushered in economic stability and made the country a "decisive player" in regional economics, and voiced support for theGoods and Services Tax (GST), which had been opposed by their rival, theDravida Munnetra Kazhagam.[33]
During the AIADMK regime,Tamil Nadu was the best-performing big state overall from 2018 to 2021. With a gross state domestic product of $290 billion, or ₹21.6 lakh crore, Tamil Nadu became India's second-largest economy.[34][35][36]
In 1980, the AIADMK underM. G. Ramachandran reversed his decision on economic criteria after the AIADMK faced a close defeat in theIndian general election in Tamil Nadu. He further raised the quota for the backward classes from 31% to 50%, bringing the total reservation to 68%.[37] In 1993, the AIADMK government underJ. Jayalalithaa passed the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes Bill, 1993, in the Assembly (Act 45 of 1994).[38] The bill was sent to thepresident for approval. The government led a cross-party committee of Tamil Nadu politicians to Delhi to meet with thecentral government. She also demanded that thegovernment of Tamil Nadu's act be placed in the ninth schedule of theIndian Constitution, ensuring that the law cannot be challenged in any court.[39] Later, on 19 July 1994, the presidential assent was received, and it confirmed the 69% reservation for Tamil Nadu. On 20 February 2016, the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK government passed the Tamil Nadu Municipal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2016, and the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Amendment) Act, 2016, in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly, enhancing the reservation for women from 33% to 50% inlocal bodies such as municipal corporations, municipalities, town panchayats, and village panchayats of the state.[40][41]
In 2006, the AIADMK initiated a case in theSupreme Court to uphold the state's rights on theMullaperiyar Dam issue. As a result, in May 2014, a Supreme Court verdict allowedTamil Nadu to increase the storage level in theMullaperiyar Dam to 142 feet from 136 feet and struck down the unconstitutional law enacted by thegovernment of Kerala in 2006 restricting the storage level to 136 feet.[42][43] This Supreme Court decision ensured the farmers' and people's livelihoods in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu.[44] In February 2013, thegovernment of India notified the final award of theCauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on the directions of the Supreme Court.[45] After 22 years of legal battle,chief minister of Tamil NaduJ. Jayalalithaa called it a "tremendous achievement" of hergovernment that the state had received due justice.[46][47] Then Jayalalithaa said that it was the happiest day of her life and the happiest day for the farmers in Tamil Nadu; she recalled her famous fast-unto-death atMarina Beach in 1993.[48][49][50]
The AIADMK was one of two parties, along with theBJP, to not voice opposition against a ban on cattle slaughter through the nationalPrevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.[51] However, it has sought an exemption in the Act regarding traditionalbull fighting; the party supports popular opinion inTamil Nadu that traditional bull fighting, known asJallikattu, should not be banned by thecentral government due to an APEX court ruling against animal cruelty.[52] During the controversy, the party demanded that the animal rights organisationPETA be banned.[53][54]
In March 2017, the AIADMKgovernment led byEdappadi K. Palaniswami implemented theKudimaramathu Scheme to rejuvenate water bodies with the participation of agriculturalists, reviving the age-old practice of community participation in the maintenance and management of tank irrigation systems.[55][56] In May 2018, the AIADMK government ordered the closure of theSterlite Copper factory inThoothukkudi in the interest of the people, knowing that the air and water in the city are being heavily polluted by the factory, which has been at the centre of violent protests by locals to protect and improve the environment.[57][58] In February 2020, the AIADMK government declared theCauvery Delta region a protected special agriculture zone.[59] This announcement was widely hailed by political parties and farmer organisations.[60][61] The AIADMK opposes the building of theMekedatu Dam, which could reduce water flows intoTamil Nadu and negatively affect quality of life for residents and agriculture.[62][63]
The party was founded on 17 October 1972, asAnna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) byM. G. Ramachandran (M.G.R.), a veteranTamil film star and popular politician. It was set up as a breakaway faction from theDravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) after its presidentM. Karunanidhi expelled him from the party for demanding an account as the partytreasurer.[64] M.G.R., who wanted to start a new political party, then incorporated it intoAnakaputhur Ramalingam's party, which had registered under the nameADMK. He then quoted, "I joined the party started by an ordinary cadre" and gave the post ofMember of theLegislative Council to Ramalingam. Later, M.G.R. prefixed theAll India (AI) tag to the party's name to protect the party during theMaintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA).[65] Since its inception, the relationship between the AIADMK and the DMK has been marked by mutual hatred. M.G.R. used his fan club to build the party cadre; he claims his party recruited more than a million members in the first two months.C. N. Annadurai's ideologue and movie producer turned politicianR. M. Veerappan was the key architect in unifying M.G.R. fan clubs and further consolidating the party structure in the 1970s.[66] Other key leaders, such asNanjil K. Manoharan andS. D. Somasundaram, played major roles in consolidation, and Pavalar M. Muthusamy was elected as the first presidium chairman of the party.[67] ThenCommunist Party of India (CPI) state secretaryM. Kalyanasundaram strongly backed M.G.R. and played a crucial role in shaping his political career by teaming up with the fledgling AIADMK. M.G.R., along with Kalyanasundaram, presented to thegovernor of Tamil Nadu,K. K. Shah, a charge against the Karunanidhi-led DMKgovernment in November 1972.[68] The party's first victories were the wins ofK. Maya Thevar in theDindigul parliamentary bye-election in May 1973 and ofC. Aranganayagam in theCoimbatore West assembly bye-election a year later.[69] On 2 April 1973, the AIADMK emerged as the third-largest political party in Tamil Nadu, represented by 11 MLAs in the assembly. By January 1976, the AIADMK emerged as the second-largest political party with 16 MLAs in the assembly. Extending its support to theNational Emergency between 1975 and 1977, the party grew very close to theIndian National Congress (INC).[70]
In 1974, AIADMK contested its firstassembly election inPuducherry with its alliance partnerCPI and won 14 of 30 seats in thelegislative assembly. On 6 March 1974,S. Ramassamy was sworn in aschief minister of Puducherry for the short-livedgovernment and became the firstchief minister from the party after its establishment.[71]
InTamil Nadu, theKarunanidhi-ledstate government was dismissed by theIndira Gandhi-ledcentral government on corruption charges in 1976. The AIADMK swept to power, defeating the DMK in the1977 assembly election.[72][73] On 30 June 1977,M.G.R. was sworn in as thechief minister of Tamil Nadu, becoming the firstactor to become thechief minister in the Republic of India.[74] In the1977 general election, the party won 18 seats, and in thePuducherry assembly election, it won 14 seats and formed thegovernment. On 2 July 1977,S. Ramassamy was sworn in aschief minister of Puducherry for a second term.[75] In 1979, the AIADMK became the firstDravidian and regional party to join theUnion Cabinet in the history of the Republic of India.[76]Sathiavani Muthu andAravinda Bala Pajanor were themembers of parliament who joined the short-livedUnion Ministry led byPrime MinisterCharan Singh.[77][78][79]
The relationship between the AIADMK and theINC slowly became strained. In the1980 general election, the INC aligned with the DMK, and the alliance won 37 out of the 39 state parliamentary seats. The AIADMK won just two seats. After returning to power,Indira Gandhi dismissed manystate governments belonging to theopposition parties, including the AIADMKgovernment inTamil Nadu.[80]
In 1980, AIADMK contested its secondassembly election inTamil Nadu, allied with left parties, and won as the single majority party in thestate assembly with 129 of 234 seats.[81] On 9 June 1980, M.G.R. was sworn in aschief minister of Tamil Nadu for a second term, whereas the oppositionDMK continued its alliance with thecentral government rulingINC(I) following the lastgeneral election and got a completely reversed result. The victory solidified M.G.R.'s position as a prominent leader in Tamil Nadu, further strengthening the AIADMK's influence in the state's political landscape. Meanwhile, the DMK faced significant challenges as it grappled with the consequences of its alliance, leading to a period of introspection and re-evaluation of its strategies for future elections.[82][83]
On 4 June 1982,M.G.R.'s famous on-screen pair and popularactressJ. Jayalalithaa joined the party. Her entry into politics marked the beginning of her rapid ascent within the party. On 28 January 1983,general secretaryP. U. Shanmugam appointed her as the propaganda secretary.[84] She was elected as amember of parliament toRajya Sabha on 3 April 1984 by defeatingArcot N. Veerasamy of theDravida Munnetra Kazhagam via indirectelection.[85]
In the1984 general election, the party again aligned with theINC, and the alliance won 37 out of the 39 state parliamentary seats.[86] During the1984 assembly election,M.G.R. was in failing health and hospitalised in theUnited States for treatment, undergoing a kidney transplant; even though he was not in the country, the party won the election by winning 132 seats.[87][88] M.G.R. returned toTamil Nadu on 4 February 1985 following his recovery.[89] He was sworn in aschief minister of Tamil Nadu for the third term on 10 February 1985. Many political historians consider M.G.R.'s persona and charisma at this time to be "infallible" and a logical continuation of his on-screen "good lad" image, strengthened by his "mythical status" in the minds of the masses. M.G.R. continued to enjoy popular support in his third term until his death. He died on 24 December 1987 and became the second chief minister in Tamil Nadu to die in office afterAnna.[90][91]
A week after following M.G.R.'s death, on 1 January 1988,member of parliamentJ. Jayalalithaa was electedgeneral secretary of the party by the prominent members, and it was ratified by the party general council convened by her the next day.[92] On the other hand,M.G.R.'s wife,V. N. Janaki Ramachandran, was elected the party's legislative leader byR. M. Veerappan and 98 othermembers of thelegislative assembly.[93] She was sworn in as the state's firstfemale chief minister on 7 January 1988, becoming the firstactress to become thechief minister in the Republic of India, and served for 23 days until the state assembly was dissolved andpresident's rule was imposed on 30 January 1988.[94] The party began to split due to infighting, splitting into two factions, one led by Jayalalithaa and the other led by Janaki.[95] As the1989 assembly election approaches, on 17 December 1988, theElection Commission of India froze the AIADMK electoral symbol "Two Leaves", called theBrahmastra of the party, and allotted Jayalalithaa the "Rooster" electoral symbol in the name of AIADMK(J) and Janaki the "Twin Pigeon" electoral symbol in the name of AIADMK(JA).[96] In the 1989 assembly election, both factions contested the election with their symbols and alliances, which led theDMK to regain power after 13 years, withM. Karunanidhi returning as thechief minister of Tamil Nadu for the third term. Due to its split, the AIADMK suffered heavily in the election, with the Jayalalithaa and Janaki factions winning only 27 and 2 seats, respectively. Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK(J) became the mainopposition party in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly. The Janaki-led AIADMK(JA) routed the election; she realised that politics wasn't her thing and chose to quit. On 7 February 1989, the factions merged under the leadership of Jayalalithaa.[97] Thereafter, thechief election commissionerR. V. S. Peri Sastri unfreezed the electoral symbol Two Leaves and granted it back to the Jayalalithaa-led united AIADMK on 8 February 1989. This pivotal moment marked a significant turnaround for the party, establishing Jayalalithaa as a formidable force inTamil Nadupolitics. With renewed emphasis on party unity and a clear electoral strategy, she began to work towards regaining public support and restoring the party's influence in the state.[98]
On 9 February 1989,J. Jayalalithaa was elected the party's legislative leader and became the first and only femaleleader of the opposition in theTamil Nadu legislative assembly. She was the firstactress to become theleader of the opposition in the Republic of India. On 25 March 1989, a barbaric attack was unleashed on Jayalalithaa by theDMKministers andmembers of thelegislative assembly in the presence of thechief ministerM. Karunanidhi and thespeakerM. Tamilkudimagan.[99] During the attack, the bundles of papers, pads, and large books were thrown over her; also, her saree was pulled and torn, and some of her hair was grabbed. AIADMK legislators, includingSu. Thirunavukkarasar andK. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran, tried hard to protect and eject her from the assembly.[100] She came out of the assembly after a disastrous moment with her torn saree and deformed hair, drawing a parallel with the shameful disrobing ofDraupadi in the epicMahabharata, vowing to return to the assembly only after becoming thechief minister.[101][102]
In the1989 general election, the party allied with theIndian National Congress (INC), and the alliance won 39 of 40 seats it contested inTamil Nadu andPuducherry. In January 1991, theChandra Shekhar-ledcentral government dismissed theKarunanidhi-ledstate government on charges that the constitutional machinery in the state had broken down.[103] AfterRajiv Gandhi's death, theAIADMK-led Alliance swept the1991 assembly election and regained power. On 24 June 1991,Jayalalithaa was sworn in as thechief minister of Tamil Nadu, becoming the secondactress to become thechief minister in the Republic of India.[104] She also became the secondfemale chief minister of Tamil Nadu afterM.G.R.'s wife,V. N. Janaki Ramachandran. Political observers have ascribed the landslide victory to the anti-incumbent wave arising out of the assassination of the formerprime minister by suspected Tamil separatists fighting for a homeland in neighbouringSri Lanka.
In the1996 assembly election, theAIADMK-led Alliance suffered a massive rout; the party only won 4 of 234 seats and not even got anopposition status in theassembly. Even thegeneral secretaryJayalalithaa, lost toE. G. Sugavanam ofDMK in theBargur constituency, from where she was elected to becomechief minister for her first term. The party also lost all the seats it contested in the1996 general election.[105]
From 1 January 1998 to 3 January 1998, the conference of the AIADMK Silver Jubilee Celebrations was held inTirunelveli, led by thegeneral secretaryJayalalithaa, and lakhs of party cadres and supporters attended the event.[106] At the conference, the party virtually launched its general election campaign inTamil Nadu andPuducherry in the presence of the alliance partnersL. K. Advani of theBharatiya Janata Party (BJP),S. Ramadoss of thePattali Makkal Katchi (PMK),Subramanian Swamy of theJanata Party (JP),Valappaddy K. Ramamurthy of theTamizhaga Rajiv Congress (TRC), andVaiko of theMarumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) participated in the conference ahead of the general election that year.[107] During the1998 general election, theAIADMK-led Alliance won 30 of 40 seats it contested in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.[108]Sedapatti R. Muthiah,M. Thambidurai,R. K. Kumar, andKadambur M. R. Janarthanan were themembers of parliament from AIADMK who joined theUnion Ministry led byPrime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee.[109] On 8 April 1999, AIADMK members of parliament resigned from the union ministry, and on 14 April 1999, Jayalalithaa submitted a letter to thepresidentK. R. Narayanan, withdrawing its support for the Vajpayee-ledcentral government, and the president called for amotion of no-confidence to be held in theparliament. On 12 October 1999, Vajpayee lost in a motion of no-confidence called by Jayalalithaa in a single vote, which led to the government's fall.[110] This incident made the entire country look back at Jayalalithaa. In the1999 general election, the AIADMK allied with theINC and left parties and won 14 of 40 seats it contested in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.[111]
In the2001 assembly election, theAIADMK-led Alliance, consisting of theTamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) (TMC(M)), theIndian National Congress (INC), thePattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), and the left parties, won 197 seats to the AIADMK's 132 and regained power.[112] On 14 May 2001,Jayalalithaa was sworn in aschief minister of Tamil Nadu for a second term and became the secondchief minister to take oath as a non-contested member in the assembly election afterV. N. Janaki Ramachandran.[104] Jayalalithaa was barred from contesting the election because of the conviction in thedisproportionate asset case that occurred during her previous tenure.[113] Due to the proceedings in a disproportionate asset case, she was prevented from holding office, so she was compelled to resign from the post.[114] Then she appointed first-time electedmember of thelegislative assemblyO. Panneerselvam as the legislative leader of the party. On 21 September 2001, he was sworn in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for the first term. Once theSupreme Court of India overturned her conviction and sentence in the case, Panneerselvam resigned from the post immediately on the morning of 2 March 2002, and on the same evening, Jayalalithaa was sworn in as chief minister for the third term.[104]
InJayalalithaa's second and third terms, she took many popular decisions, such as banninglottery tickets, restricting the liquor and sand quarrying businesses to government agencies, and banning tobacco product sales near schools and colleges.[115] She encouraged women to join the state police force by setting up all-women's police stations and commissioning 150 women into the elite-level police commandos in 2003, a first in India.[116] The women had the same training as men, which included handling weapons, detection and disposal of bombs, driving, horseback riding, and adventure sports. She dispatched a special task force in the name ofOperation Cocoon, headed byK. Vijay Kumar andN. K. Senthamarai Kannan, to theSathyamangalam forests in October 2004 to track down notorious sandalwood smugglerVeerappan.[117] The operation was successful, as the special task force killed him on 18 October 2004.[118][119]
Despite the popular measures taken by theJayalalithaa-ledgovernment, theAIADMK-led Alliance lost all 40 seats it contested in the2004 general election. TheDemocratic Progressive Alliance (DPA), consisting of all the major opposition parties in the state, swept the election.[120]
In the2006 assembly election, the party contested only with the support of theMarumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK),Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and a few other smaller parties, winning 69 seats, with the AIADMK winning 61 seats. The opposition'sDemocratic Progressive Alliance, comprising larger parties, won 163 seats, with theDMK winning 96 seats; the DMK is back in power but only as aminoritygovernment.[121] In the history ofTamil Nadu, it was the first time the state had a hungassembly with a minority government. The AIADMK's electoral reversals continued in the2009 general election. However, the party's performance was better than its debacle in 2004, and theAIADMK-led Alliance managed to win 12 seats, with the AIADMK winning 9 seats.[122][123]
Following widespread corruption, a price rise, a power cut, and allegations of nepotism against theDMKgovernment, in the2011 assembly election, theAIADMK-led Alliance with parties like the left andactor-turned-politicianVijayakant'sDesiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) swept the polls, winning 203 seats, with the AIADMK winning 150,[124] and on 16 May 2011,Jayalalithaa was sworn in aschief minister of Tamil Nadu for a fourth term.[104] Her return to power marked a significant shift in the state's political landscape, as she implemented various welfare schemes aimed at improving the lives of the underprivileged.[4] These initiatives garnered her considerable support, further solidifying her position inTamil Nadu politics and effectively challenging the opposition's influence.
InPuducherry, the AIADMK allied withN. Rangasamy'sAll India N.R. Congress (AINRC) and won the2011 assembly election, which was held in parallel with theTamil Nadu assembly election.[125] Rangasamy, on the other hand, formed thegovernment without consulting the AIADMK and refused to share power with the pre-election alliance partner. SoJayalalithaa accused him of betraying the coalition.[126]
On 9 February 2014, thegeneral secretary of the AIADMK and thechief minister of Tamil NaduJayalalithaa donated a 13-kg gold armour to adorn the 3.5-foot-tallPasumpon U. Muthuramalinga Thevar statue at the U. Muthuramalinga Thevar temple in Pasumpon,Ramanathapuram.[127] This armour is kept safely in a locker at theBank of India's Anna Nagar branch inMadurai. After the AIADMKtreasurer signs the bank, the shield will be handed over to the treasurer, who will then hand it over to the temple trustees from October 28 to 30, which is the Guru Pooja andThevar Jayanthi observed on October 30 every year.[128]
The AIADMK's electoral performance continued to be excellent in the2014 general election as well. It opted not to join any alliance and contested all seats in thestate ofTamil Nadu and theunion territory ofPuducherry on its own.[129] The party won an unprecedented 37 out of the 40 parliamentary constituencies it contested and emerged as the third largest party in the16th Lok Sabha of theIndian Parliament.[130] It was a massive victory that no other regional political party had ever achieved in the history of general elections.[131]
On 29 August 2014, thechief minister of Tamil NaduJayalalithaa was elected as thegeneral secretary of the party for the 7th consecutive term, making her the longest-serving general secretary of the party to date.[132] Earlier, she was elected as general secretary on 1 January 1988, 9 February 1989, 23 June 1993, 23 September 1998, 10 September 2003,[133] and 10 September 2008.[134] During her longest tenure as general secretary, E. V. A. Vallimuthu,V. R. Nedunchezhiyan,[135]K. Kalimuthu,[136]Pulamaipithan,[137]C. Ponnaiyan,[138] andE. Madhusudhanan[139] served as the presidium chairmen of the party.
On 27 September 2014, thechief minister of Tamil NaduJayalalithaa was convicted in thedisproportionate assets case by a special court along with her associatesV. K. Sasikala, Ilavarasi, and V. N. Sudhakaran and sentenced to four years' simple imprisonment. Jayalalithaa was also fined ₹100 crore, and her associates were fined ₹10 crore each.[140] The case had political implications, as it was the first time a rulingchief minister had to step down on account of a court sentence.[141]
Due toJayalalithaa's dismissal, theminister for financeand public works of Tamil NaduPanneerselvam was sworn in aschief minister of Tamil Nadu for a second term on 29 September 2014.[142] Bail for Jayalalithaa was denied by the High Court and then moved to theSupreme Court, where it was granted on 17 October 2014. On 11 May 2015, theHigh Court of Karnataka said she was acquitted from that case,[143] and on 23 May 2015, Jayalalithaa was sworn in as chief minister of Tamil Nadu for a fifth term.[104]
In the2016 assembly election, thechief minister of Tamil NaduJayalalithaa ran without allies and swept the polls by winning 135 of 234 seats.[144] It was the most audacious decision taken by her for the spectacular victory that any political leader had ever made in the history ofTamil Nadu elections.[145][146] On 23 May 2016, Jayalalithaa was sworn in as chief minister of Tamil Nadu for a sixth and last term.[147]
On 22 September 2016, she was admitted toApollo Hospital,Chennai, due to fever and dehydration.[148] After a prolonged illness, shedied on 5 December 2016 and became the thirdchief minister inTamil Nadu to die in office afterAnna and her mentorM.G.R.[149][150][151]
Following her death, arobbery and murder took place at Jayalalithaa's Kodanadu estate on 24 April 2017. The incident later became a politically sensitive issue within the AIADMK and among the public.[152][153][154]
Under the leadership ofJayalalithaa, the party spread beyondTamil Nadu andPuducherry. It established state units in some otherIndianstates andunion territories, like theAndaman and Nicobar Islands,Andhra Pradesh,Karnataka,Kerala,Maharashtra, theNational Capital Territory of Delhi, andTelangana. The party also has functionaries and supporters in other countries where Tamil people are present.
InKarnataka, the party had members in thestate assembly from 1983 to 2004 and has influence in the Tamil-speaking areas ofBengaluru andKolar.[155] InKerala, the party won a total of six wards in three panchayats in the local body elections.[156]
InAndhra Pradesh,Kerala, andMaharashtra, the party has contested some legislative assembly elections but did not win a single seat in any of the elections.[157]
After Jayalalithaa's death on 5 December 2016, her close aideV. K. Sasikala was selected unanimously as the Acting General Secretary of the party on 31 December 2016.[158][159] On 5 February 2017, she was selected as the leader of the legislative assembly as chief minister.O. Panneerselvam rebelled against Sasikala and reported that he had been compelled to resign as Chief Minister, bringing in a new twist to Tamil Nadu politics. Due to a conviction in thedisproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa, Sasikala was sentenced to 4 years' imprisonment in theBengaluru Central Prison. Before that, she appointedEdappadi K. Palaniswami as legislative party leader (Chief Minister).
She also appointed her nephew and former treasurer of the party,T. T. V. Dhinakaran, as the deputy general secretary of the AIADMK party.[160] With the support of 123 MLAs, Palaniswami becamechief minister of Tamil Nadu.
On 23 March 2017, theElection Commission of India (ECI) gave separate party symbols to the two factions:O. Panneerselvam's faction, known as AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma), got the "Electric Pole" symbol, andEdappadi K. Palaniswami's faction, known as AIADMK (Amma), got the "Hat" symbol.[161]
Abye-election was announced for theDr. Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency, which was vacated due to Jayalalithaa's death. But the election commission cancelled the bye-election after evidence of large-scale bribery by the ruling AIADMK (Amma) surfaced. On 17 April 2017, Delhi police registered a case against Dhinakaran, who was also the candidate for AIADMK (Amma) for the bye-election at Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar, regarding an allegation of attempting to bribe the Election Commission of India for the AIADMK's election symbol.[162] However, the Central District Tis Hazari Courts granted him bail on the grounds that the police had failed to identify the allegedly bribed public official.
However, the chief minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, had a fallout with Dhinakaran and announced that the appointment of Dhinakaran as deputy general secretary was invalid. So he claims, "We are the real AIADMK, and 95% of its cadres are with us."
On 12 September 2017, the AIADMK general council, which had earlier appointed her, cancelledV. K. Sasikala's appointment as general secretary and officially expelled her from the party as a primary member.[163][164]
Earlier on 10 August 2017,T. T. V. Dhinakaran was sacked as deputy general secretary at the meeting headed byEdappadi K. Palaniswami at Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Maaligai in Chennai.[165][164]
After completing her imprisonment atBengaluru Central Prison, Sasikala filed a case in the City Civil Court IV ofChennai in February 2021, but it upheld her dismissal as theAIADMK general secretary in April 2022.[166] On 5 December 2023, theMadras High Court upheld her dismissal as the AIADMK general secretary.[167]
On 21 August 2017, bothO. Panneerselvam andEdappadi K. Palaniswami factions of the AIADMK merged, and O. Panneerselvam was sworn in as theDeputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu with the portfolio of Finance. He also holds portfolios for housing, rural housing, housing development, the slum clearance board, accommodation control, town planning, urban development, and theChennai Metropolitan Development Authority. A dual leadership system was amended in the constitution of the party by removing the designation of general secretary and constituting the new designations for the party's leadership. O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palaniswami became the coordinator and joint coordinator of the AIADMK, respectively.[168] On 4 January 2018, O. Panneerselvam was electedLeader of the House in theTamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
On 12 September 2017, the AIADMK general council decided to cancel V. K. Sasikala's appointment as acting general secretary and officially expel her from the party, though prominent members appointed to party posts by her were allowed to continue discharging their functions. Instead, the lateJ. Jayalalithaa was named the eternal general secretary of the AIADMK.[163][164]
A day after the merger of two AIADMK factions, on 22 August 2017, 19 MLAs[169] owing allegiance to ousted deputy general secretaryT. T. V. Dhinakaran submitted letters to thegovernor, expressing lack of confidence inChief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and withdrawing support from the government.[169] 18 out of those 19 MLAs were disqualified from office by theSpeaker of the legislative assembly upon recommendation from the AIADMK Chief Whip. After a prolonged legal battle, the Speaker's orders were upheld by theMadras High Court, and bye-elections were held alongside the general parliamentary elections. On 23 November 2017, theElection Commission of India granted the "two leaves" symbol to theO. Panneerselvam andEdappadi K. Palaniswami camp.[170]
On 24 February 2018, AIADMK's new mouthpiece,Namadhu Amma, a Tamil daily newspaper, was launched, marking the 70th birth anniversary of the formerchief minister of Tamil Nadu and the former general secretary of AIADMK,J. Jayalalithaa, fondly known asAmma.[171][172] On 14 November 2018, the AIADMK launchedNews J, named after the AIADMK former general secretaryJ. Jayalalithaa, to replaceJaya TV. News J is the 24×7 Tamil news channel operated and managed by Mantaro Network Private Limited.[173][174]
Despite the popular measures taken by the government, in the2019 Lok Sabha election, the party, in alliance with the BJP again, was humiliated, winning one of the 39 Lok Sabha seats from the state. TheSecular Progressive Alliance (SPA), a DMK-led alliance consisting of all the major opposition parties in the state, swept the election by winning 38 seats.[175]
In August 2020, there was a bustle in the party over the selection of the chief ministerial candidate.[176] On 7 October 2020, the party coordinator and thedeputy chief minister of Tamil NaduO. Panneerselvam announced that the joint coordinator and thechief minister of Tamil NaduEdappadi K. Palaniswami, would be the chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming2021 assembly election.[177]
In the2021 assembly election, theAIADMK-led Alliance, consisting of thePMK,BJP, and a few other smaller parties, won 75 seats compared to the 159 seats won by theDMK-ledSecular Progressive Alliance, which made the DMK form a majority government after the victory of the1996 assembly election.[178] After the election, the AIADMK emerged as the mainopposition party in theassembly by winning 66 seats. On 10 May 2021, party joint coordinatorEdappadi K. Palaniswami was unanimously elected as theleader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly[179] and on 14 June 2021, party coordinatorO. Panneerselvam was elected as the deputy leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.[180]
On 15 October 2021, party coordinatorO. Panneerselvam and joint coordinatorEdappadi K. Palaniswami jointly released the notification stating that the headquarters of the party, which is located at V.P. Raman Salai,Royapettah,Chennai, will be namedPuratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Maaligai in memory of the party's founder and the formerchief minister of Tamil NaduM. G. Ramachandran.[181] In December 2021, they both re-elected as co-ordinator and joint co-ordinator respectively.[182]
After that,V. K. Sasikala andT. T. V. Dhinakaran had appealed to theDelhi High Court, which rejected their appeal and said thatO. Panneerselvam andEdappadi K. Palaniswami were the original AIADMK.
Following that, T. T. V. Dhinakaran filed an appeal with theSupreme Court of India on March 15, and the bench of theChief Justice of India dismissed his appeal against the Delhi High Court's decision in favor of the O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palaniswami camp.
Following this, the General Council passed a resolution removing V. K. Sasikala from the post of General Secretary. V. K. Sasikala and T. T. V. Dhinakaran jointly filed a suit in the High Court challenging the decision of the General Council. Since it was a civil case, the case was transferred to the City Civil Court. During the hearing on 9 April 2021, Dinakaran told the court that he would withdraw from the case as he had started a party calledAmma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam.[183] At the same time, Sasikala told the court that she wanted to continue the case. The court dismissed her plea following an interlocutory application from AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami.[184]
In June 2022, the AIADMK and BJP were at odds publicly.[185] AIADMK organization secretaryC. Ponnaiyan accused theBJP-ledcentral government of stealingTamil Nadu's revenue, as well as blaming AIADMK for election losses, the loss of minority community support, and "anti-Tamil" policies, particularly those affecting students.[186] He also called the alliance an "electoral adjustment", claiming that the BJP was attempting to expand at the cost of the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and that its ideology is diametrically opposite that of the AIADMK.[187][188] The event reportedly had party cadres reiterating these sentiments, albeit in a lighter tone, and agreeing that the BJP was attempting to wrest control of the state's opposition from the AIADMK.[185]
On 14 June 2022, citing the party's troubles in the polls, AIADMK district secretaries and other senior party members spoke out to shun the "dual leadership" system and came out publicly in favor of a strong unitary leader to strengthen the organization.
Supporters ofEdappadi K. Palaniswami pushed for the change in the party's leadership structure by staging apolitical coup against AIADMK coordinatorO. Panneerselvam, who had become weak within the party. According to many sources, of the AIADMK's 75 district secretaries, hardly 10 supported him. Of the party's 66 MLAs, only three were reportedly on O. Panneerselvam's side, and less than 20 percent of the party's general council members were behind him ahead of the crucial general council meeting on 23 June 2022, which was expected to elect the single leadership to the party.[189]
On 23 June 2022,A. Thamizhmahan Hussain was unanimously elected as thePresidium Chairman of the party at a general council meeting held at the Shrivaaru Venkataachalapathy Palace inVanagaram,Chennai.[190][191] On the same day, Presidium Chairman A. Thamizhmahan Hussain announced that the next general council meeting of the party would be held on 11 July 2022.[192][193]
On 30 June 2022, Edappadi K. Palaniswami wrote a letter toO. Panneerselvam asserting the latter ceased to be the party coordinator as the amendments made to the party's bylaw in the December 2021 executive committee meeting were not recognized in the general council meeting held on 23 June 2022.[194][195]
In the general council meeting held on 11 July 2022, the general council members passed the resolution and expelled the former coordinatorO. Panneerselvam,[196] the former deputy coordinatorR. Vaithilingam,P. H. Manoj Pandian, andJ. C. D. Prabhakar from their respective posts and primary membership in the party for "anti-party" activities.[197][198]
On 11 July 2022, formerchief minister of Tamil NaduEdappadi K. Palaniswami was unanimously elected as the interim general secretary of the party in the general council meeting held at the Shrivaaru Venkatachalapathy Palace inVanagaram,Chennai.[199] Palaniswami appointedDindigul C. Sreenivasan as thetreasurer of the party, replacingO. Panneerselvam.[200] On 19 July 2022, Palaniswami appointedR. B. Udhayakumar as the deputyleader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, replacing Panneerselvam, who declared this in the party's legislative members meeting held on 17 July 2022.[201][202] Before the general council meeting, there was violence at the Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Maaligai inRoyapettah, where the supporters of Palaniswami and Panneerselvam threw stones, bottles, and plastic chairs at each other and damaged several vehicles nearby.[203] Following this, theRevenue Department of Tamil Nadu sealed the Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Maaligai. Overall, 47 people were injured in the clashes.[204]
On 20 July 2022, theMadras High Court ordered to remove the seal of Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Maaligai and hand over the keys to the interim general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami.[205] It was previously locked and sealed on 11 July 2022.[206][207] On 12 September 2022, theSupreme Court of India dismissed the petition of O. Panneerselvam challenging the Madras High Court's order to handover the keys to Palaniswami.[208]
TheMadras High Court on 17 August 2022 ruled in favor ofO. Panneerselvam and declared the AIADMK general council meeting held on 11 July 2022 which had abolished dual leadership asvoid ab initio. The court called for the restoration of the status quo as it existed on June 23 and has prevented the party from convening any meeting of the executive council or the general council of the party without joint consent from both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, thus effectively restoring dual leadership. The court cited procedural lapses to declare the general council meeting held on July 11, invalid and found that there was no data to prove Edappadi K. Palaniswami's claim that 95% of the 1.5 crore (15 million) primary party members supported unitary leadership under him.[209][210][211][212]
Edappadi K. Palaniswami appealed the single-judge court order to a larger bench of judges.[213] Following the order, O. Panneerselvam appealed for party unity, which included the splinterAMMK group.[214] Palaniswami dismissed this appeal as a power-hungry move by Panneerselvam and held him responsible for violence at the Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Maaligai.[215]
On 2 September 2022, adivision bench of the Madras High Court upheld the decisions of the AIADMK general council meeting held on 11 July 2022, and set aside the previous court order of the single judge in the appeal case of Edappadi K. Palaniswami, thus effectively restoring unitary leadership.[216][217]
On 23 February 2023, theSupreme Court of India upheld the decisions of the AIADMK general council meeting held on 11 July 2022, and dismissed the petition of O. Panneerselvam challenging the previous order of thedivision bench, thus affirming unitary leadership under Edappadi K. Palaniswami.[218][219] On 19 January 2024, the Supreme Court of India refused to stay the August 2023 order of the division bench of Madras High Court, which dismissed the petitions of O. Panneerselvam challenging resolutions passed by the general council held on 11 July 2022, that led to the expulsion of O. Panneerselvam and his supporters from the party, saying the interference at this stage will "lead to huge chaos".[220]
On 11 July 2022, an AIADMK general council meeting was held at the Shrivaaru Venkataachalapathy Palace inVanagaram following the dismissal of a petition byO. Panneerselvam in theMadras High Court.[221] The party general council abolished thedual leadership model, empoweredEdappadi K. Palaniswami as the party's interimgeneral secretary, and called for organizational elections in 4 months.[222] The general council meeting made 20 amendments to the party bylaws, including the removal of rule 20, which had described the former general secretaryJ. Jayalalithaa as the"eternal general secretary"; reviving the post of general secretary; transferring all the powers of the coordinator and joint coordinator to the general secretary; and abolishing the posts of coordinator and joint coordinator. These changes in the bylaws effectively ended the dual leadership of the party.[223]
On 28 March 2023, theMadras High Court ruled in favour ofEdappadi K. Palaniswami and dismissed the petitions ofO. Panneerselvam challenging the resolutions passed at the general council meeting held on 11 July 2022. On the same day, the electoral officers announced that Edappadi K. Palaniswami was elected as thegeneral secretary of the party.[224][225]
On 20 April 2023, theElection Commission of India recognisedEdappadi K. Palaniswami as thegeneral secretary of the party, acknowledging the amendments to the party constitution and changes to the list of office-bearers.[226][227] On 10 July 2023, the Election Commission of India recognised the changes made in the party organisation after the party's due election.[228]
On 20 August 2023, the Rising Conference of the AIADMK Golden Jubilee Celebrations was held inMadurai, led by the newly electedgeneral secretaryEdappadi K. Palaniswami, and lakhs of party cadres and supporters attended the event.[229][230]
On 25 September 2023, the party's secretaries advisory meeting, led bygeneral secretaryEdappadi K. Palaniswami, was held in the Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Maaligai. At the meeting, it was decided to withdraw from theBharatiya Janata Party-ledNational Democratic Alliance, and it was officially announced by deputy general secretaryK. P. Munusamy after the meeting.[231][232][233]
In the2024 general election, theAIADMK-led Alliance consisting ofDesiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK),Puthiya Tamilagam (PT), and theSocial Democratic Party of India (SDPI) contested in the state ofTamil Nadu and the union territories ofPuducherry andAndaman and Nicobar Islands for the18th Lok Sabha polls. In the alliance, the AIADMK contested 36 constituencies, and the DMDK contested five constituencies. The party-led alliance lost in all the constituencies it contested, and theIndian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance swept the election in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.[234]
On 19 January 2025, Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced the formation of the "AIADMK Young Generation Sports Wing" to encouragesportspersons.[235] On 10 February 2025,AIADMK general secretaryEdappadi K. Palaniswami virtually inaugurated the newly constructed party office located at Sector-VI, Pushp Vihar, M.B. Road,New Delhi, in the presence of the prominent members and secretaries of the party. The three-storey office building in theNational Capital Territory of Delhi is namedPuratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. – Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Maaligai in memory of the party's leaders and the formerchief ministers of Tamil NaduM. G. Ramachandran andJ. Jayalalithaa.[236] On 11 April 2025, AIADMK General SecretaryEdappadi K. Palaniswami andBJP leader and The Union Home MinisterAmit Shah announced their alliance for2026 TN Assembly election on a Joint Press Conference at Chennai.[237][238]
On 31 October 2025, AIADMK General SecretaryEdappadi K. Palaniswami expelled senior leader andGobichettipalayam MLAK. A. Sengottaiyan from the party. Palaniswami stated that Sengottaiyan had accompanied expelled leaderO. Panneerselvam andAMMK founderT. T. V. Dhinakaran in the same car and participated in a joint press conference at Pasumpon during theTevar Jayanthi ceremony.[239][240][241] Earlier on 5 September 2025, Sengottaiyan urged party general secretary Palaniswami to take steps to reunite expelled and dissenting leaders to restore the party’s strength ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election.[242][243]
| Year | Lok Sabha | Party leader | Seats contested | Seats won | Change in seats | Percentage of votes | Vote swing | Popular vote | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 6th | M. G. Ramachandran | 21 | 18 / 542 |  18 | 2.90% |  | 5,480,378 | Government |
| 1980 | 7th | 24 | 2 / 529 |  16 | 2.36% | 0.54% | 4,674,064 | Opposition | |
| 1984 | 8th | 12 | 12 / 541 | 10 | 1.69% | 0.67% | 3,968,967 | Government | |
| 1989 | 9th | J. Jayalalithaa | 11 | 11 / 529 | 1 | 1.50% | 0.19% | 4,518,649 | Opposition |
| 1991 | 10th | 11 | 11 / 534 | | 1.62% | 0.12% | 4,470,542 | Government | |
| 1996 | 11th | 10 | 0 / 543 | 11 | 0.64% | 0.98% | 2,130,286 | Lost | |
| 1998 | 12th | 23 | 18 / 543 | 18 | 1.83% | 1.19% | 6,731,550 | Government | |
| 1999 | 13th | 29 | 10 / 543 | 8 | 1.93% | 0.10% | 7,046,953 | Opposition | |
| 2004 | 14th | 33 | 0 / 543 | 10 | 2.19% | 0.26% | 8,547,014 | Lost | |
| 2009 | 15th | 23 | 9 / 543 | 9 | 1.67% | 0.52% | 6,953,591 | Others | |
| 2014 | 16th | 40 | 37 / 543 | 28 | 3.31% | 1.64% | 18,111,579 | ||
| 2019 | 17th | O. Panneerselvam andEdappadi K. Palaniswami | 22 | 1 / 543 | 36 | 1.37% | 1.94% | 8,307,345 | Government |
| 2024 | 18th | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | 36 | 0 / 543 | 1 | 1.39% | 0.02% | 8,952,587 | Lost |
| Year | Assembly | Party leader | Seats contested | Seats won | Change in seats | Percentage of votes | Vote swing | Popular vote | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 6th | M. G. Ramachandran | 200 | 130 / 234 | 130 | 30.36% | | 5,194,876 | Government |
| 1980 | 7th | 177 | 129 / 234 | 1 | 38.75% | 8.39% | 7,303,010 | ||
| 1984 | 8th | 155 | 132 / 234 | 3 | 37.03% | 1.72% | 8,030,809 | ||
| 1989 | 9th | J. Jayalalithaa | 202 | 29 / 234 | 103 | 21.77% | 15.26% | 5,247,317 | Opposition |
| 1991 | 10th | 168 | 164 / 234 | 135 | 44.39% | 22.62% | 10,940,966 | Government | |
| 1996 | 11th | 168 | 4 / 234 | 160 | 21.47% | 22.92% | 5,831,383 | Others | |
| 2001 | 12th | 141 | 132 / 234 | 128 | 31.44% | 9.97% | 8,815,387 | Government | |
| 2006 | 13th | 188 | 61 / 234 | 71 | 32.64% | 1.20% | 10,768,559 | Opposition | |
| 2011 | 14th | 165 | 150 / 234 | 89 | 38.40% | 5.76% | 14,150,289 | Government | |
| 2016 | 15th | 234 | 136 / 234 | 14 | 41.06% | 2.66% | 17,806,490 | ||
| 2021 | 16th | O. Panneerselvam andEdappadi K. Palaniswami | 191 | 66 / 234 | 70 | 33.29% | 7.77% | 15,391,055 | Opposition |
| 2026 | 17th | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | TBA | ||||||
| Year | Assembly | Party leader | Seats contested | Seats won | Change in seats | Percentage of votes | Vote swing | Popular vote | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 4th | M. G. Ramachandran | 21 | 12 / 30 | 12 | 27.83% | | 60,812 | Government |
| 1977 | 5th | 27 | 14 / 30 | 2 | 30.96% | 3.13% | 69,873 | ||
| 1980 | 6th | 18 | 0 / 30 | 14 | 18.60% | 12.36% | 45,623 | Lost | |
| 1985 | 7th | 10 | 6 / 30 | 6 | 15.75% | 2.85% | 47,521 | Opposition | |
| 1990 | 8th | J. Jayalalithaa | 13 | 3 / 30 | 3 | 18.17% | 2.42% | 76,337 | |
| 1991 | 9th | 10 | 6 / 30 | 3 | 17.34% | 0.83% | 67,792 | ||
| 1996 | 10th | 10 | 3 / 30 | 3 | 12.53% | 4.81% | 57,678 | ||
| 2001 | 11th | 20 | 3 / 30 | | 12.56% | 0.03% | 59,926 | Government | |
| 2006 | 12th | 18 | 3 / 30 | | 16.04% | 3.48% | 90,699 | Others | |
| 2011 | 13th | 10 | 5 / 30 | 2 | 13.75% | 2.29% | 95,960 | ||
| 2016 | 14th | 30 | 4 / 30 | 1 | 16.82% | 3.07% | 134,597 | ||
| 2021 | 15th | O. Panneerselvam andEdappadi K. Palaniswami | 5 | 0 / 30 | 4 | 4.14% | 12.68% | 34,623 | Lost |
| 2026 | 16th | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | TBA | ||||||
| Year | Assembly | Party leader | Seats contested | Seats won | Change in seats | Percentage of votes | Vote swing | Popular vote | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 6th | M. G. Ramachandran | 7 | 0 / 224 | | 0.18% | | 22,310 | Lost |
| 1983 | 7th | 1 | 1 / 224 | 1 | 0.13% | 0.05% | 16,234 | Opposition | |
| 1989 | 9th | J. Jayalalithaa | 1 | 1 / 224 | | 0.18% | 0.05% | 32,928 | Government |
| 1994 | 10th | 4 | 1 / 224 | | 0.24% | 0.06% | 50,696 | Opposition | |
| 1999 | 11th | 13 | 1 / 224 | | 0.18% | 0.06% | 39,865 | Government | |
| 2004 | 12th | 2 | 0 / 224 | 1 | 0.07% | 0.11% | 16,737 | Lost | |
| 2008 | 13th | 7 | 0 / 224 | | 0.03% | 0.04% | 9,088 | ||
| 2013 | 14th | 5 | 0 / 224 | | 0.03% | | 10,280 | ||
| 2018 | 15th | O. Panneerselvam andEdappadi K. Palaniswami | 3 | 0 / 224 | | 0.01% | 0.02% | 2,072 |
| Year | Assembly | Party leader | Seats contested | Seats won | Change in seats | Percentage of votes | Vote swing | Popular vote | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 5th | M. G. Ramachandran | 2 | 0 / 140 | | 0.02% | | 2,114 | Lost |
| 1980 | 6th | 1 | 0 / 140 | | 0.00% | 0.02% | 224 | ||
| 2006 | 12th | J. Jayalalithaa | 29 | 0 / 140 | | 0.12% | 0.12% | 19,078 | |
| 2011 | 13th | 4 | 0 / 140 | | 0.01% | 0.11% | 2,448 | ||
| 2016 | 14th | 7 | 0 / 140 | | 0.17% | 0.16% | 33,440 | ||
| 2021 | 15th | O. Panneerselvam andEdappadi K. Palaniswami | 1 | 0 / 140 | | 0.05% | 0.12% | 10,376 | |
| 2026 | 16th | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | TBA | ||||||
| Year | Assembly | Party leader | Seats contested | Seats won | Change in seats | Percentage of votes | Vote swing | Popular vote | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 6th | M. G. Ramachandran | 9 | 0 / 294 | | 0.19% | | 38,691 | Lost |
| 1994 | 10th | J. Jayalalithaa | 2 | 0 / 294 | | 0.05% | 0.14% | 14,251 | |
| 1999 | 11th | 5 | 0 / 294 | | 0.02% | 0.03% | 7,281 |
| Year | Assembly | Party leader | Seats contested | Seats won | Change in seats | Percentage of votes | Vote swing | Popular vote | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 10th | J. Jayalalithaa | 3 | 0 / 288 | | 0.01% | | 3,711 | Lost |
| 2009 | 12th | 2 | 0 / 288 | | 0.01% | | 2,587 |
| Member | Position in Government | Party Position |
|---|---|---|
| Edappadi K. Palaniswami | General Secretary | |
| A. Thamizhmahan Hussain |
| Presidium Chairman |
| K. P. Munusamy |
| Deputy General Secretary |
| Dindigul C. Sreenivasan |
| Treasurer |
| Natham R. Viswanathan |
| Deputy General Secretary |
| C. Ponnaiyan |
| All World M.G.R. Manram Secretary |
| M. Thambidurai |
| Propaganda Secretary |
| S. P. Velumani |
| Headquarters Secretary |
| Pollachi V. Jayaraman |
| Election Wing Secretary |
| B. Valarmathi |
| Women's Wing Secretary |
| R. B. Udhayakumar |
| Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Peravai Secretary |
| Agri S. S. Krishnamurthy |
| Agriculture Wing Secretary |
| P. Venugopal |
| Medical Wing Secretary |
| Vaigaichelvan |
| Literary Wing Secretary |
| R. Kamalakannan | | Anna Thozhirsanga Peravai Secretary |
| Singai G. Ramachandran | | Students' Wing Secretary |
| N. R. Sivapathi |
| M.G.R. Youth Wing Secretary |
| S. T. Chellapandian |
| Trade Wing Secretary |
| K. Sankaradas | | Unorganised Drivers' Wing Secretary |
| R. V. Udayakumar | | Arts Wing Secretary |
| Gayathri Raguram | | Deputy Women's Wing Secretary |
| V. P. B. Paramasivam |
| Youth Camps & Young Girls Camps Secretary |
| I. S. Inbadurai |
| Advocates Wing Secretary |
| S. Abdul Rahim |
| Minorities Welfare Wing Secretary |
| V. V. R. Raj Satyen | | IT Wing Secretary |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | |||
| 1 |  | M. G. Ramachandran (1917–1987) | 17 October 1972 | 22 June 1978 | 6 years, 316 days |
| 17 October 1986 | 24 December 1987 | ||||
| 2 |  | V. R. Nedunchezhiyan (1920–2000) | 23 June 1978 | 10 June 1980 | 1 year, 353 days |
| 3 |  | P. U. Shanmugam (1924–2007) | 11 June 1980 | 13 March 1985 | 4 years, 275 days |
| 4 | | S. Raghavanandam (1917–1999) | 14 March 1985 | 16 October 1986 | 1 year, 216 days |
| 5 | | J. Jayalalithaa (1948–2016) | 1 January 1988 | 5 December 2016 | 28 years, 339 days |
| Acting | | V. K. Sasikala (b. 1954) | 31 December 2016 | 17 February 2017 | 48 days |
| Interim | | Edappadi K. Palaniswami (b. 1954) | 11 July 2022 | 27 March 2023 | 3 years, 136 days |
| 6 | 28 March 2023 | Incumbent | |||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | |||
| 1 |  | Coordinator O. Panneerselvam (b. 1951) | 21 August 2017 | 23 June 2022 | 4 years, 306 days |
| Joint Coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami (b. 1954) | ||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Portfolio | Term in office | Elected constituency (House) | Prime Minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | |||||||
| 1 |  | Sathiavani Muthu (1923–1999) | Ministry of Social Welfare | 19 August 1979 | 23 December 1979 | 126 days | Tamil Nadu (Rajya Sabha) | Charan Singh | |
| 2 | | Aravinda Bala Pajanor (1935–2013) | Ministry of Petroleum,Chemicals and Fertilizers | Puducherry (Lok Sabha) | |||||
| 3 |  | Sedapatti R. Muthiah (1945–2022) | Ministry of Surface Transport | 19 March 1998 | 8 April 1998 | 20 days | Periyakulam (Lok Sabha) | Atal Bihari Vajpayee | |
| 4 |  | M. Thambidurai (b. 1947) | Ministry of Law and Justice andCompany Affairs | 8 April 1999 | 1 year, 20 days | Karur (Lok Sabha) | |||
| Ministry of Surface Transport | 8 April 1998 | 1 year | |||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Assembly (Election) | Elected constituency | Ministry | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| 1 | | M. G. Ramachandran (1917–1987) | 30 June 1977 | 17 February 1980 | 10 years, 65 days | 6th (1977) | Aruppukkottai | Ramachandran I |
| 9 June 1980 | 9 February 1985 | 7th (1980) | Madurai West | Ramachandran II | ||||
| 10 February 1985 | 24 December 1987 | 8th (1984) | Andipatti | Ramachandran III | ||||
| Acting | | V. R. Nedunchezhiyan (1920–2000) | 24 December 1987 | 7 January 1988 | 14 days | Athoor | Nedunchezhiyan II | |
| 2 |  | V. N. Janaki Ramachandran (1923–1996) | 7 January 1988 | 30 January 1988 | 23 days | did not contest | Janaki | |
| 3 | | J. Jayalalithaa (1948–2016) | 24 June 1991 | 12 May 1996 | 14 years, 124 days | 10th (1991) | Bargur | Jayalalithaa I |
| 14 May 2001 | 21 September 2001 | 12th (2001) | did not contest | Jayalalithaa II | ||||
| 2 March 2002 | 12 May 2006 | Andipatti | Jayalalithaa III | |||||
| 16 May 2011 | 27 September 2014 | 14th (2011) | Srirangam | Jayalalithaa IV | ||||
| 23 May 2015 | 22 May 2016 | Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar | Jayalalithaa V | |||||
| 23 May 2016 | 5 December 2016 | 15th (2016) | Jayalalithaa VI | |||||
| 4 | | O. Panneerselvam (b. 1951) | 21 September 2001 | 2 March 2002 | 1 year, 105 days | 12th (2001) | Periyakulam | Panneerselvam I |
| 28 September 2014 | 23 May 2015 | 14th (2011) | Bodinayakanur | Panneerselvam II | ||||
| 6 December 2016 | 15 February 2017 | 15th (2016) | Panneerselvam III | |||||
| 5 | | Edappadi K. Palaniswami (b. 1954) | 16 February 2017 | 6 May 2021 | 4 years, 79 days | Edappadi | Palaniswami | |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Assembly (Election) | Elected constituency | Ministry | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| 1 | | S. Ramassamy (1939–2017) | 6 March 1974 | 28 March 1974 | 1 year, 155 days | 4th (1974) | Karaikal South | Ramassamy I |
| 2 July 1977 | 12 November 1978 | 5th (1977) | Ramassamy II | |||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Assembly (Election) | Elected constituency | Chief Minister | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| 1 | | O. Panneerselvam (b. 1951) | 21 August 2017 | 6 May 2021 | 3 years, 258 days | 15th (2016) | Bodinayakanur | Edappadi K. Palaniswami |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Lok Sabha (Election) | Elected constituency | Speaker | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | |||||||
| 1 | | M. Thambidurai (b. 1947) | 22 January 1985 | 27 November 1989 | 9 years, 229 days | 8th (1984) | Dharmapuri | Balram Jakhar | |
| 13 August 2014 | 25 May 2019 | 16th (2014) | Karur | Sumitra Mahajan | |||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Portfolio | Term in office | Elected constituency (House) | Cabinet Minister | Prime Minister | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | |||||||||
| 1 | | R. K. Kumar (1942–1999) | Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs | 19 March 1998 | 22 May 1998 | 64 days | Tamil Nadu (Rajya Sabha) | Madan Lal Khurana | Atal Bihari Vajpayee | ||
| Ministry of Finance | 20 March 1998 | 63 days | Yashwant Sinha | ||||||||
| 2 | | Kadambur M. R. Janarthanan (1929–2020) | Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions | 8 April 1999 | 1 year, 19 days | Tirunelveli (Lok Sabha) | Atal Bihari Vajpayee | ||||
| Ministry of Finance | 22 May 1998 | 321 days | Yashwant Sinha | ||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Assembly (Election) | Elected constituency | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | | Munu Adhi (1926–2005) | 6 July 1977 | 18 June 1980 | 2 years, 348 days | 6th (1977) | Tambaram |
| 2 |  | K. Rajaram (1926–2008) | 21 June 1980 | 24 February 1985 | 4 years, 248 days | 7th (1980) | Panamarathupatti |
| 3 | | P. H. Pandian (1945–2020) | 27 February 1985 | 5 February 1989 | 3 years, 344 days | 8th (1984) | Cheranmadevi |
| 4 | | Sedapatti R. Muthiah (1945–2022) | 3 July 1991 | 21 May 1996 | 4 years, 323 days | 10th (1991) | Sedapatti |
| 5 | | K. Kalimuthu (1942–2006) | 24 May 2001 | 1 February 2006 | 4 years, 253 days | 12th (2001) | Thirumangalam |
| 6 |  | D. Jayakumar (b. 1960) | 27 May 2011 | 29 September 2012 | 1 year, 125 days | 14th (2011) | Royapuram |
| 7 | | P. Dhanapal (b. 1951) | 10 October 2012 | 21 May 2016 | 8 years, 193 days | Rasipuram | |
| 3 June 2016 | 3 May 2021 | 15th (2016) | Avanashi | ||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Assembly (Election) | Elected constituency | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | | S. Pakkiam (Unknown) | 26 March 1974 | 28 March 1974 | 2 days | 4th (1974) | Bussy |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Assembly (Election) | Elected constituency | Speaker | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| 1 | | Su. Thirunavukkarasar (b. 1949) | 6 July 1977 | 17 February 1980 | 2 years, 226 days | 6th (1977) | Arantangi | Munu Adhi |
| 2 | | P. H. Pandian (1945–2020) | 21 June 1980 | 15 November 1984 | 4 years, 147 days | 7th (1980) | Cheranmadevi | K. Rajaram |
| 3 | | V. P. Balasubramanian (1946–2003) | 27 February 1985 | 30 January 1988 | 2 years, 337 days | 8th (1984) | Vedasandur | P. H. Pandian |
| 4 | | K. Ponnusamy (b. 1942) | 3 July 1991 | 16 May 1993 | 1 year, 317 days | 10th (1991) | Marungapuri | Sedapatti R. Muthiah |
| 5 | | S. Gandhirajan (b. 1951) | 27 October 1993 | 13 May 1996 | 2 years, 199 days | Vedasandur | ||
| 6 | | A. Arunachalam (b. 1948) | 24 May 2001 | 12 May 2006 | 4 years, 353 days | 12th (2001) | Varahur | K. Kalimuthu |
| 7 | | P. Dhanapal (b. 1951) | 27 May 2011 | 9 October 2012 | 1 year, 135 days | 14th (2011) | Rasipuram | D. Jayakumar |
| 8 | | Pollachi V. Jayaraman (b. 1952) | 29 October 2012 | 21 May 2016 | 8 years, 174 days | Udumalaipettai | P. Dhanapal | |
| 3 June 2016 | 3 May 2021 | 15th (2016) | Pollachi | |||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Assembly (Election) | Elected constituency | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | | Nanjil K. Manoharan (1929–2000) | 4 July 1977 | 17 February 1980 | 2 years, 228 days | 6th (1977) | Palayamkottai |
| 2 | | V. R. Nedunchezhiyan (1920–2000) | 19 June 1980 | 15 November 1984 | 12 years, 51 days | 7th (1980) | Tirunelveli |
| 25 February 1985 | 6 January 1988 | 8th (1984) | Athoor | ||||
| 1 July 1991 | 13 May 1996 | 10th (1991) | Theni | ||||
| 3 | | R. M. Veerappan (1926–2024) | 7 January 1988 | 30 January 1988 | 23 days | 8th (1984) | Tirunelveli |
| 4 | | C. Ponnaiyan (b. 1942) | 22 May 2001 | 12 May 2006 | 4 years, 355 days | 12th (2001) | Tiruchengode |
| 5 | | O. Panneerselvam (b. 1951) | 23 May 2011 | 27 November 2014 | 8 years 127 days | 14th (2011) | Bodinayakkanur |
| 12 August 2015 | 21 May 2016 | ||||||
| 25 May 2016 | 16 February 2017 | 15th (2016) | |||||
| 4 January 2018 | 3 May 2021 | ||||||
| 6 |  | Natham R. Viswanathan (b. 1949) | 28 November 2014 | 11 August 2015 | 256 days | 14th (2011) | Natham |
| 7 |  | K. A. Sengottaiyan (b. 1948) | 17 February 2017 | 3 January 2018 | 320 days | 15th (2016) | Gobichettipalayam |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Assembly (Election) | Elected constituency | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | | S. Ramassamy (1939–2017) | 6 March 1974 | 28 March 1974 | 1 year, 155 days | 4th (1974) | Karaikal South |
| 2 July 1977 | 12 November 1978 | 5th (1977) | |||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Assembly (Election) | Elected constituency | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | | J. Jayalalithaa (1948–2016) | 9 February 1989 | 1 December 1989 | 5 years, 280 days | 9th (1989) | Bodinayakanur |
| 29 May 2006 | 14 May 2011 | 13th (2006) | Andipatti | ||||
| 2 |  | S. R. Eradha (1934–2020) | 1 December 1989 | 19 January 1991 | 1 year, 49 days | 9th (1989) | Madurai East |
| 3 | | O. Panneerselvam (b. 1951) | 19 May 2006 | 28 May 2006 | 9 days | 13th (2006) | Periyakulam |
| 4 | | Edappadi K. Palaniswami (b. 1954) | 11 May 2021 | Incumbent | 4 years, 197 days | 16th (2021) | Edappadi |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Assembly (Election) | Elected constituency | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | | P. K. Loganathan (1938–2013) | 16 March 1985 | 4 March 1990 | 4 years, 353 days | 7th (1985) | Oupalam |
| 2 | | V. M. C. V. Ganapathy (b. 1960) | 4 July 1991 | 13 May 1996 | 4 years, 314 days | 9th (1991) | Neravy – T. R. Pattinam |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term in office | Assembly (Election) | Elected constituency | Leader of the Opposition | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| 1 | | Su. Thirunavukkarasar (b. 1949) | 9 February 1989 | 23 July 1990 | 1 year, 164 days | 9th (1989) | Aranthangi | J. Jayalalithaa S. R. Eradha |
| 2 | | K. A. Sengottaiyan (b. 1948) | 23 June 1990 | 19 January 1991 | 189 days | Gobichettipalayam | S. R. Eradha | |
| 19 May 2006 | 28 May 2006 | 13th (2006) | O. Panneerselvam | |||||
| 3 | | O. Panneerselvam (b. 1951) | 29 May 2006 | 14 May 2011 | 6 years, 12 days | Periyakulam | J. Jayalalithaa | |
| 14 June 2021 | 11 July 2022 | 16th (2021) | Bodinayakanur | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | ||||
| 4 | | R. B. Udhayakumar (b. 1973) | 19 July 2022 | Incumbent | 3 years, 128 days | Thirumangalam | ||
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Tamil: 'All India Anna Dravidian Progress Federation') A political party. It was established in 1972...
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