The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is an Indian regional political party with great influence in the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry. It is a Dravidian party founded by the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu M. G. Ramachandran (M.G.R.) at Madurai on 17 October 1972 as a breakaway faction from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam after M. Karunanidhi expelled him from the party for demanding an account as the party treasurer. The party is adhering to the policy of socialism and secularism based on the principles of C. N. Annadurai (Anna) collectively coined as Annaism by M.G.R. The party has won a seven-time majority in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and has emerged as the most successful political outfit in the state's history. It is currently the main opposition party in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran,popularly known by his initials M.G.R.,was an Indian actor,politician,and philanthropist who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 until his death in 1987. He was the founder and first general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. On 19 March 1988,Ramachandran was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna,India's highest civilian honour. Ramachandran is regarded as one of the most influential politicians of post-independence India. Apart from politics,as a film personality he won the National Film Award,two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and two Filmfare Award South.
Subburaman Thirunavukkarasar is an Indian politician. He was the State President of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee till 2 February 2019 and former secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) of the Indian National Congress (INC) party. His introduction to politics in 1977 was facilitated by former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,M. G. Ramachandran. Ramachandran founded the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in 1972 and was facing his first elections for the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election in 1977. He identified Thirunavukkarasar,a lawyer by profession,to contest the Aranthangi assembly constituency. Thirunavukkarasar won the seat,aged 27,and was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. He continued in that capacity till 1980. Subsequently,he served as Tamil Nadu state minister from 1980 to 1987 in the MGR cabinet,holding portfolios that included Industries,Housing Board,Excise and Handlooms. Later,he became a member of the Lok Sabha –the lower house of the Parliament of India –when he won the erstwhile Pudukottai Lok Sabha constituency. He served as Union Minister of state for shipping and later for telecommunications and information technology.
Thiru SD Somasundaram,also known as S.D.S.,was a political leader and administrator who served as a cabinet minister of the Tamil Nadu state.
Ethirajulu Vajjaravelu or E. V. Velu is an Indian politician who has been serving as the Minister of Public Works,Highways and Minor Ports in the M. K. Stalin ministry of the state of Tamil Nadu since 2021. He formerly served as the Minister for Food in the state under M. Karunanidhi (2006–2011).
K. Ramachandran is an Indian politician and the Minister for Forests in Tamil Nadu. He was born in Coonoor.
The eighth legislative assembly election for Tamil Nadu was held on 24 December 1984. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) won the election and its general secretary,incumbent M. G. Ramachandran (M.G.R) was sworn in as Chief Minister,for the third time. The election victory was mainly attributed to the sympathy wave created by Indira Gandhi's assassination and M.G.R's illness coupled with Rajiv Gandhi's popularity. This is the last election M.G.R contested as he died in office in 1987. This is also the only General Election which M. Karunanidhi did not contest since 1957 until his death. As of 2023,this is the last election where the ruling party gained seats.
The sixth legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held on 10 June 1977. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) won the election defeating its rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). M. G. Ramachandran,the AIADMK founder and a leading Tamil film actor,was sworn in as Chief Minister for the first time. The election was a four-cornered contest between the AIADMK,DMK,the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Janata Party. Earlier in 1972,M.G.R had founded the AIADMK following his expulsion from the DMK after differences arose between him and DMK leader M. Karunanidhi. On 31 January 1976,Karunanidhi's government was dismissed by the central government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi citing non-co-operation for MISA and President's rule was imposed on the state. Karunanidhi had been at odds with Indira Gandhi over his opposition to Emergency and allied with Janata Party founded by Jayaprakash Narayan. M.G.R remained as Chief Minister until he died in 1987,winning the next two elections held in 1980 and 1984. Due to this feat,M.G.R inadvertently became an example for entry of famous actors to enter politics,with a hope that they too may become Chief minister one day. then Telugu superstar N.T.R followed M.G.R's suit in 1983 and won the Andhra Pradesh general Elections to become the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Since then,no other actor has been able to recreate M.G.R's achievements in electoral Politics.
K. Rajaram was an Indian politician of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and later,All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu. He served as the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 1985.
Ramasamy Thamaraikani was an Indian politician from Tamil Nadu and a Member of Legislative Assembly. He was elected to Tamil Nadu state assembly five times from Srivilliputhur constituency,three times as an Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) candidate under M. G. Ramachandran,once as an independent and once as an ADMK candidate under Jayalalitha. He has been referred to as maverick and irrepressible by media.
C. Ponnaiyan is an Indian politician. He is one of the founding members of the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party. He is the former member of the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly from Tiruchengode constituency in 1977,1980,1984 and 2001. He served as the Presidium Chairman of AIADMK from 2003 to 2006.
Panruti S. Ramachandran is an Indian politician and former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu.
Anitha R. Radhakrishnan is an Indian politician,Minister of Tamil Nadu and Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elected from Tiruchendur constituency as AIADMK candidate in 2001,2006 and as DMK candidate in 2009 (By-election),2011,2016 and 2021. He was also former Minister for Animal Husbandry and Minister for Housing &Urban Development in the 2001 AIADMK government.
By-elections to nine state assembly constituencies were held in Tamil Nadu,in four separate phases. The election for Thirumangalam was held on 9 January and for Bargur,Thondamuthur,Ilaiyangudi,Cumbum,and Srivaikuntam constituencies on 18 August. Also,the election took place for Vandavasi and Tiruchendur constituency on 19 December 2009 and finally for Pennagaram constituency on 27 March 2010. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) defeated All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in Thirumangalam in the first phase and kept the winning momentum in the following general election.
V. Karuppasamy Pandian is an Indian politician and a former Member of the Legislative Assembly in Tamil Nadu. He is currently one of the leaders of the anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) party in Tirunelveli district.
S. Madhavan was an Indian politician and former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate from the Thirukoshtiyur constituency in the 1962 election,from the Tiruppattur constituency in 1967 and 1971,and as an Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate in 1984 election.
Gomathi Srinivasan is an Indian politician and was Minister of Social Welfare in the Government of Tamil Nadu between 1980 and 1987,as well as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
K. A. Krishnaswamy was an Indian politician and minister in the Government of Tamil Nadu. He was the younger brother of K.A. Murugesan,a DK leader and K. A. Mathiazhagan,a founding leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). He was the third person from the Kaniyur family to enter politics. Initially he belonged to the DMK and was a member of the Rajya Sabha.
R. S. Raja Kannappan,formerly known as S. Kannappan,is an Indian politician and Minister for Backward Classes Welfare and Higher Education. He also served as the Minister for Khadi and Village Industries from 2022 to 2023,Minister of Transport,Nationalised Transport,Motor Vehicles Act in the period 2021- March 2022 and also former Minister of Public Works,Highways and Electricity during 1991–1996. He joined the party DMK in Feb. 2020.
M. Ramkumar is an Indian politician and former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from papanasam constituency.
