List of political parties in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has a multi-party system. The Election Commission of India accords recognition to national-level and state-level political parties based upon objective criteria. A recognized political party enjoys privileges like a reserved party symbol, ^[a] free broadcast time on state-run television and radio, consultation in the setting of election dates, and giving input in setting electoral rules and regulations. Other political parties that want to run in local, state, or national elections must register with the Election Commission of India. The Election Commission of India recognizes registered parties as recognized state parties if they meet the relevant criteria following a Lok Sabha or Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election. The recognized-party status is reviewed periodically by the Election Commission of India. ^[3]

Prior to the 2016 amendment, which went into effect on 1 January 2014, if a political party failed to meet the criteria in the subsequent Lok Sabha or Tamil Nadu legislative assembly election, they lost their status as a recognized party. In 2016, the Election Commission of India announced that such a review would take place after two consecutive elections instead of every election. As a result, a political party must retain its recognized party status even if it fails to meet the criteria in the next election. However, if they fail to meet the criteria in the subsequent election following the next election, they would lose their status.

National parties

Political party			Flag	Electoral symbol	Political position	Founded	Founder	TN unit leader	Seats
									Lok Sabha	Rajya Sabha	Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
	Aam Aadmi Party	AAP			Centre to Centre-left	26 November 2012	Arvind Kejriwal	S. A. N. Vasigaran	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Bahujan Samaj Party	BSP			Centre to Centre-left	14 April 1984	Kanshi Ram	Vacant	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Bharatiya Janata Party	BJP			Centre-right	6 April 1980	Atal Bihari Vajpayee	K. Annamalai	0 / 39	0 / 18	4 / 234
	Communist Party of India (Marxist)	CPI(M)			Left-wing	7 November 1964	E. M. S. Namboodiripad	P. Shanmugam	2 / 39	0 / 18	2 / 234
	Indian National Congress	INC			Centre-left	28 December 1885	Allan Octavian Hume	K. Selvaperunthagai	9 / 39	1 / 18	17 / 234
	National People's Party	NPP			Centre-right	6 January 2013	P. A. Sangma	G. Srinivasan	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234

State parties

Political party			Flag	Electoral symbol	Political position	Founded	Founder	Leader	Seats
									Lok Sabha	Rajya Sabha	Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
	All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam	AIADMK			Centre to centre-left	17 October 1972	M. G. Ramachandran	Edappadi K. Palaniswami	0 / 39	3 / 18	62 / 234
	Communist Party of India	CPI			Left-wing	26 December 1925	M. N. Roy	R. Mutharasan	2 / 39	0 / 18	2 / 234
	Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam	DMDK			Centre to centre-left	14 September 2005	Vijayakanth	Premalatha Vijayakanth	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam	DMK			Centre-left	17 September 1949	C. N. Annadurai	M. K. Stalin	22 / 39	10 / 18	134 / 234
	Naam Tamilar Katchi	NTK			Far Left	1958	S. P. Adithanar	Seeman	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi	VCK			Left-wing	1982	M. Malalchami D. Amukurajah	Thol. Thirumavalavan	2 / 39	0 / 18	4 / 234

Unrecognized parties

Political party			Flag	Founded	Founder	Leader	Seats
							Lok Sabha	Rajya Sabha	Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
	All India Forward Bloc	AIFB		22 June 1939	Subhas Chandra Bose	P. V. Kathiravan	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam	AMMK		15 March 2018	T. T. V. Dhinakaran	T. T. V. Dhinakaran	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi	IJK		28 April 2010	T. R. Paarivendhar	T. R. Paarivendhar	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Indian National League	INL		23 April 1994	Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait	M. Muniruddin Sharif	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Indian Union Muslim League	IUML		1 September 1951	Muhammad Ismail Sahib	K. M. Kader Mohideen	1 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi	KMDK		21 March 2013	E. R. Eswaran	E. R. Eswaran	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Makkal Needhi Maiam	MNM		21 February 2018	Kamal Haasan	Kamal Haasan	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam	MDMK		6 May 1994	Vaiko	Vaiko	1 / 39	1 / 18	0 / 234
	Pattali Makkal Katchi	PMK		16 July 1989	S. Ramadoss	Anbumani Ramadoss	0 / 39	1 / 18	5 / 234
	Puratchi Bharatham Katchi	PBK		26 January 1978	Poovai M. Moorthy	M. Jagan Moorthy	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Puthiya Tamilagam	PT		15 December 1997	K. Krishnasamy	K. Krishnasamy	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Social Democratic Party of India	SDPI		21 June 2009	Erappungal Abubacker	V. M. S. Mohamed Mubarak	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
	Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar)	TMC(M)		29 March 1996	G. K. Moopanar	G. K. Vasan	0 / 39	1 / 18	0 / 234
	Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam	TVK		2 February 2024	Joseph Vijay	Joseph Vijay	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234

Notes

1. If a party is recognized as a national or state party, its symbol is reserved for its exclusive use in the country or in the state. ^{[1] [2]}

References

1. "Names of National State, registered-unrecognized parties and the list of free symbols" (PDF). Election Commission of India. 12 March 2014. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
2. "State Party List" (PDF). Election Commission of India. 13 December 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 February 2017.
3. "Political Parties and Election Symbols".