M. Karunanidhi
Encyclopedia
Muthuvel Karunanidhi(Born Dakshinamurthi) (born June 3, 1924) is an India
n politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
(DMK), a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu
. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N. Annadurai
, in 1969 and has served as chief minister five times (1969–71, 1971–76, 1989–91, 1996–2001 and 2006–2011). He holds the record of winning his seat in every election in which he has participated in a political career spanning more than 60 years. In the 2004 Lok Sabha Elections
, he led the DMK-led DPA
(UPA and Left Parties) in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry to win all 40 Lok Sabha
seats. In the following 2009 Lok Sabha Elections
, he was able to increase the number of seats for the DMK from 16 to 18 seats, and led the UPA in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, to win 28 seats, even with a significantly smaller coalition. He is also a playwright
and screenwriter
in Tamil cinema
. He is called by his supporters as Kalaignar .
, British India
, on 3 June 1924 to Muthuvel and Anjugam. He belongs to the Isai Vellalar
community.
His sons are M. K. Muthu, M. K. Alagiri, M. K. Stalin, and M. K. Tamilarasu. His daughters are Selvi and Kanimozhi. Kanimozhi is a Rajya Sabha MP. M. K. Muthu, his eldest son was born to Padmavathy, who died early. Azhagiri, Stalin, Selvi and Tamilarasu were born to Dayaluammal, while Kanimozhi is the only daughter from his third wife, Rajathiammal. He has donated his house, that is to be converted into a free hospital for the poor after his death.
film industry. Through his wit and oratorical skills he rapidly rose as a popular politician. He was famous for writing historical and social (reformist) stories which propagated the socialist and rationalist
ideals of the Dravidian movement to which he belonged. He first began using Tamil cinema
to propagate his political ideas through the movie Parasakthi. Parasakthi was a turning point in Tamil cinema, as it espoused the ideologies of the Dravidian movement and also introduced two prominent actors of Tamil filmdom, Sivaji Ganesan
and S. S. Rajendran. The movie was initially banned but was eventually released in 1952. It was a huge box office hit, but its release was marred with controversies. The movie was opposed by orthodox Hindus since it contained elements that criticized Brahmanism. Two other movies written by Karunanidhi that contained such messages were Panam and Thangarathnam. These movies contained themes such as widow remarriage, abolition of untouchability
, self-respect marriages, abolition of zamindari and abolition of religious hypocrisy. As his movies and plays with strong social messages became popular, they suffered from increased censorship; two of his plays in the 1950s were banned.
. His contributions cover a wide range: poems, letters, screenplays, novels, biographies, historic novels, stageplays, dialogues, songs, etc. He has written Kuraloviam for Thirukural, Tholkaappiya Poonga, Poombukar, as well as many poems, essays and books.
Apart from literature, Karunanidhi has also contributed to the Tamil language
through art and architecture. Like the Kuraloviyam, in which Kalaignar wrote about Thirukkural, through the construction of Valluvar Kottam
he gave an architectural presence to Thiruvalluvar, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. At Kanniyakumari, Karunanidhi has constructed a 133-foot-high statue of Thiruvalluvar, which portrays his feelings about the scholar.
, Vellikizhamai, Nenjukku Needhi, Iniyavai Irubathu, Sanga Thamizh, Kuraloviam, Ponnar Sankar, and Thirukkural Urai. His books of prose and poetry number more than 100.
, gained him much popularity. It was here that his skills as a scriptwriter were honed. He wrote 75 screenplays including: Rajakumaari
, Abimanyu
, Manthiri Kumari
, Marutha Naattu Ilavarasi, Manamagan, Devaki
, Parasakthi, Panam
, Thirumbipaar, Naam
, Manohara
, Ammaiappan, Malai Kallan, Rangoon Radha
, Raja Rani
, Puthaiyal, Pudhumai Pithan
, Ellorum Innattu Mannar, Kuravanchi, Thayillapillai, Kanchi Thalaivan, Poompuhar, Poomalai, Mani Makudam, Marakka Mudiyuma?, Avan Pithana?, Pookkari, Needhikku Thandanai, Paalaivana Rojakkal, Pasa Paravaikal, Padadha Theneekkal, Niyaya Tharasu, Pasakiligal, Kannamma
, Uliyin Osai, Pen Singam
,Ilaignan
and Ponnar Shankar
, and participated in Anti-Hindi agitations
. He founded an organisation for the local youth of his locality. He circulated a handwritten newspaper called Manavar Nesan to its members. Later he founded a student organisation called Tamil Nadu Tamil Manavar Mandram, which was the first student wing of the Dravidan Movement. Karunanidhi involved himself and the student community in social work with other members. Here he started a newspaper for its members, which grew into Murasoli, the DMK
party's official newspaper.
The first major protest that aided Karunanidhi in gaining ground in Tamil politics was his involvement in the Kallakudi agitation in Kallakudi
. Original name of this industrial town was Kallakudi and it was changed to Dalmiapuram after a cement mogul from North India
who built a cement plant there. DMK wanted to change the name back to Kallagudi.. In the protest Karunanidhi and his companions erased the name Dalmiapuram from the railway station and lay down on the tracks blocking the course of trains. Two people died in the protest and Karunanidhi was arrested.
He took over as chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
on 13 May 2006 after his coalition defeated his main opponent J. Jayalalithaa
in the May 2006 elections
. He represents the constituency of Tiruvarur in the Tamil Nadu state Legislative Assembly. He has been elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly 12 times and once to the now abolished Tamil Nadu Legislative Council.
Other social Schemes includes:
1. Free Eye Camp Scheme to eradicate Cataract (during 70s)
2. Marriage aid to poor girls to eliminate frustration
3. Uzhavar Santhai for Direct Selling of Agri Products by the Farmer without any agents interruption
4. Mini Bus Scheme to cater Transportation to Remote Villages where Government Buses are not plying
5. Anna Marumalarchi Scheme for renovation of Villages on their Own
6. Abolition of Hand Rickshaws and replaced with Cycle Rickshaw for improving self esteem
7. Namakku Naame Scheme for Self Development by the Village schemes
8. Slum Clearance Board to replace huts with Concrete Apartment Houses
9. Industrial Complex in all the districts to develop Industrial Growth
10. Minor Ports throughout the State to improve Coastal People Life
11. Free Electricity to Huts and Agriculture to improve their life
These are the few schemes implemented by him.
In addition he has served as editor for Kudiyarasu and gave life to the journal Mutharam. He is the founder of State Governments News Reel, Arasu Studio and also the Government Journal Tamil Arasu, published in Tamil and English.
He penned the song "Semmozhiyaana Tamizh Mozhiyaam", the official theme song for the Unofficial World Classical Tamil Conference 2010, that was set to tune by A. R. Rahman
, at his own request.
Indra Gandhi dismissed the Karunanidhi government based on charges of possible secession and corruption.
In 2001 Karunanidhi, former chief secretary, K.A. Nambiar, and a host of others were arrested on charges of corruption in the construction of flyovers in Chennai.
He and his party members were also charged under Sections 120(b) (criminal conspiracy), 167 (public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury), 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the IPC, and Section 13 (2) read with 13 (1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, but no prima facie
evidence was found against him and his son M K Stalin.
controversy, Karunanidhi questioned the existence of the Hindu God Rama
. He asked:
His remarks caused a firestorm of controversy. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad accused Karunanidhi of religious discrimination when noting "We would like to know from Karunanidhi if he would make a similar statement against religious head of any other religion; chance are he may not."
Nationalist Congress Party
spokesman D. P. Tripathi said, "Where is the need of asking for evidence on the existence of Ram when lots of people have unreserved faith in him?"
In response to these statements, Karunanidhi defiantly stated, "Anyway, neither Valmiki nor Ram is here now [to vouch for claims of Ram's existence]. There is only a group that thinks of people as fools. They will be proved wrong."
Several days later, he commented:
's assassination, 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.
In April 2009,in an interview to NDTV
, Karunanidhi made a controversial remark stating that "Prabhakaran is my good friend" and also said, "India could not forgive the LTTE for assassinating Rajiv Gandhi".
and start a political dynasty along the lines of the Nehru-Gandhi family. Vaiko, who quit the DMK, has been the most vocal. Political observers say that Vaiko was sidelined as he was seen as a threat to M.K. Stalin
and other family members.
His nephew, the late Murasoli Maran
, was a Union Minister; however, it has been pointed out that he was in politics long before Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister in 1969. He was arrested several times, including in the Anti-Hindi agitations
in 1965. He was asked to contest the by-election for South Madras in 1967 and the nomination papers were signed by Rajaji, Annadurai and Mohammed Ismail (Quaid-e-Millath), demonstrating that his political career was not built entirely on his relation to Karunanidhi.
Many political opponents and DMK party senior leaders have been critical of the rise of M. K. Stalin in the party. But some of the party men have pointed out that Stalin has come up on his own. He has faced a lot of hardship since 1975, when he was jailed under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act
(MISA) and was beaten up in jail so brutally during the Emergency that a fellow DMK party prisoner died trying to save him. Stalin was an MLA in 1989 and 1996 when his father Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister, but he was not inducted into the Cabinet. He became Chennai's 44th mayor and its first directly elected mayor in 1996. It was only in his fourth term as MLA that he was made a Minister in the Karunanidhi cabinet and then in 2009 was made the Deputy Chief Minister.
Before bringing M K Stalin into the Limelight of the Politics, all the prominent leaders worked hard for the party were given due importance. This includes Mr. J Anbazhagan (Son of Pazhakkadai Jayaraman); Mr. Thangam Thennarasu (Son of Thangapandiyan); Mrs. Poongothai Aruna (Daughter of Aladi Aruna); Mr. Parithi Ilamvazhuthi (Son of Ilamparithi); Mr. Pazhanivel Rajan (Son of PTR); Mr. A.G Sampath (Son of A.Govindaswamy) etc. Thus all those work for the party were given proper position in the party and as well as in the Government. Finally M K Stalin was given a chance for MLA in 1996, after his service to party for more than 30 years. Hence the allegations of Nepotism in the party is an imaginary one.
Unlike other Political parties of Tamilnadu, Mr. Karunanidhi developed Second Level Leaders with ability to handle any situation in party and Government. This leaders includes Arcot Veeraswamy, Veerapandi Arumugam, Nehru, Thuraimurugan, Ponmudi, Mookkaiya, Karuppasaamy Pandiyan etc., We cannot see such Party Democracy in any other Political Parties in Tamilnadu.
Karunanidhi has been accused of helping Murasoli Maran's son Kalanidhi Maran
, who runs Sun Network
, India's second largest television network. According to Forbes, Kalanidhi is among India's richest 20, with $2.9 billion. Again commentators say that he raised himself into the position on his own merit and even Karunanidhi's sons have achieved nothing compared to him which has been a cause of friction between them. His channels have been the mouth organ of the DMK party (until recent time) and balanced the Jaya TV of the AIADMK.
Another son of Maran's, Dayanidhi Maran
, is a former Union Minister for Communications and IT portfolio, not broadcasting ministry, which is responsible for TV networks. Dayanidhi Maran was withdrawn from the IT and Communications portfolio at Center (he was a Union Minister for IT and Communications) because Dinakaran (a newspaper run by the Maran brothers) had shown the result of a public poll which read Dayanidhi Maran as the successor to Karunanidhi. This created a bloody violence in the Madurai branch of Dinakaran office, causing the death of three employees. This was again seen as a result of the dynasty controversy in Karunanidhi's family.
It has been pointed out that Karunanidhi has hesitated to take action against his erring family members, though he has expelled his other sons M.K. Muthu and M.K. Azhagiri when they were guilty of wrong doing and similarly removed Dayanidhi Maran
from the position of Union Minister (because of the reason stated in the previous paragraph).
Of late, he has been accused of not taking action against M.K. Azhagiri after his supporters attacked the newspaper office of Dinakaran, killing three people (as stated above). M.K. Azhagiri is the prime accused in the murder case of the former DMK Minister
Kiruttinan. Karunanidhi is also accused of allowing Azhagiri to function as an extraconstitutional authority in Madurai. The Dinakaran newspaper case was handed over to the CBI. But the District and Sessions court acquitted all the 17 accused in that case. So far, the case has not been appealed in a higher court to identify and punish the perpetrators of the crime.
His daughter Kanimozhi has been nominated for a Rajya Sabha post.
of involvement in the 2G spectrum scam
. One of his TV channel stations - Kalaignar TV
was raided by Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) officers in connection with the 2G scam on 19 February 2011. Karunanidhi's daughter MK Kanimozhi arrested and sent to Tihar jail on 20-05-2011 for alleged kickbacks in 2G Scam. She has been arrested for the illegal transfer of money to the DMK's official channel Kalaignar TV
. DMK MP A Raja is the prime accused in 2 G scam and sent to Tihar Jail.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar...
(DMK), a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N. Annadurai
C. N. Annadurai
Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai , popularly called Anna , or Arignar Anna was a former Chief Minister of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu...
, in 1969 and has served as chief minister five times (1969–71, 1971–76, 1989–91, 1996–2001 and 2006–2011). He holds the record of winning his seat in every election in which he has participated in a political career spanning more than 60 years. In the 2004 Lok Sabha Elections
Indian general election in Tamil Nadu, 2004
The Indian general election, 2004 polls in Tamil Nadu were held for 39 seats in the state. The result was a victory for the Democratic Progressive Alliance, which included the United Progressive Alliance and its allies the Left Front which won all 39 seats in the state...
, he led the DMK-led DPA
Democratic Progressive Alliance
Democratic Progressive Alliance is an alliance of Indian political parties formed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in 2004.-Current constituents:...
(UPA and Left Parties) in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry to win all 40 Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
seats. In the following 2009 Lok Sabha Elections
Indian general election in Tamil Nadu, 2009
The Indian general election, 2009 polls in Tamil Nadu was held for 39 seats in the state. There was a radical change in the alliances in this election compared to the last election, reminiscent of the 1999 election in Tamil Nadu...
, he was able to increase the number of seats for the DMK from 16 to 18 seats, and led the UPA in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, to win 28 seats, even with a significantly smaller coalition. He is also a playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
in Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
. He is called by his supporters as Kalaignar .
Early life
Muthuvel Karunanidhi was born as Dakshinamurthy in Thirukuvalai in NagapattinamNagapattinam
Nagapattinam is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam District. It is a prominent seaport on the east coast of India and an important centre of trade and commerce.The town of Nagapattinam dates back to the Sangam period...
, British India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, on 3 June 1924 to Muthuvel and Anjugam. He belongs to the Isai Vellalar
Isai Vellalar
Isai Velalar is a caste from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They are also known as Melakkarar. Isai Vellalars predominantly use the title of Pillai, with some using the title of Mudaliar.-Origin of name:...
community.
Personal life
He is a non-vegetarian now turned vegetarian. He has claimed that the secret of his energy and success lies in the daily practice of yoga. He married three times; his wives are the late Padmavathy, Dayalu Ammal and Rajathiammal.His sons are M. K. Muthu, M. K. Alagiri, M. K. Stalin, and M. K. Tamilarasu. His daughters are Selvi and Kanimozhi. Kanimozhi is a Rajya Sabha MP. M. K. Muthu, his eldest son was born to Padmavathy, who died early. Azhagiri, Stalin, Selvi and Tamilarasu were born to Dayaluammal, while Kanimozhi is the only daughter from his third wife, Rajathiammal. He has donated his house, that is to be converted into a free hospital for the poor after his death.
Screenwriting
Karunanidhi began his career as a screenwriter in the TamilTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
film industry. Through his wit and oratorical skills he rapidly rose as a popular politician. He was famous for writing historical and social (reformist) stories which propagated the socialist and rationalist
Rationalism
In epistemology and in its modern sense, rationalism is "any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification" . In more technical terms, it is a method or a theory "in which the criterion of the truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive"...
ideals of the Dravidian movement to which he belonged. He first began using Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
to propagate his political ideas through the movie Parasakthi. Parasakthi was a turning point in Tamil cinema, as it espoused the ideologies of the Dravidian movement and also introduced two prominent actors of Tamil filmdom, Sivaji Ganesan
Sivaji Ganesan
Viluppuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Manrayar , commonly known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan , was an Indian stage and film actor active during the latter half of the 20th century. He is one of the most respected film actors in India. He is well known for his versatility and acting skills with...
and S. S. Rajendran. The movie was initially banned but was eventually released in 1952. It was a huge box office hit, but its release was marred with controversies. The movie was opposed by orthodox Hindus since it contained elements that criticized Brahmanism. Two other movies written by Karunanidhi that contained such messages were Panam and Thangarathnam. These movies contained themes such as widow remarriage, abolition of untouchability
Untouchability
Untouchability is the social practice of ostracizing a minority group by segregating them from the mainstream by social custom or legal mandate. The excluded group could be one that did not accept the norms of the excluding group and historically included foreigners, nomadic tribes, law-breakers...
, self-respect marriages, abolition of zamindari and abolition of religious hypocrisy. As his movies and plays with strong social messages became popular, they suffered from increased censorship; two of his plays in the 1950s were banned.
Literature
Karunanidhi is known for his contributions to Tamil literatureTamil literature
Tamil literature refers to the literature in the Tamil language. Tamil literature has a rich and long literary tradition spanning more than two thousand years. The oldest extant works show signs of maturity indicating an even longer period of evolution...
. His contributions cover a wide range: poems, letters, screenplays, novels, biographies, historic novels, stageplays, dialogues, songs, etc. He has written Kuraloviam for Thirukural, Tholkaappiya Poonga, Poombukar, as well as many poems, essays and books.
Apart from literature, Karunanidhi has also contributed to the Tamil language
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
through art and architecture. Like the Kuraloviyam, in which Kalaignar wrote about Thirukkural, through the construction of Valluvar Kottam
Valluvar Kottam
Valluvar Kottam is a modern landmark in Chennai, India which is dedicated to the classical Tamil poet, philosopher and saint Thiruvalluvar. Valluvar Kottam is located at the intersection of the Kodambakkam High road and the Village road, was constructed by Kalainger M.Karunanidhi - the then Chief...
he gave an architectural presence to Thiruvalluvar, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. At Kanniyakumari, Karunanidhi has constructed a 133-foot-high statue of Thiruvalluvar, which portrays his feelings about the scholar.
Books
Books Karunanidhi has written include: Romapuri Pandian, Thenpandi SingamThenpandi Singam
Thenpandi Singam is a Tamil historical novel written by Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi, who based his novel on a legendary story of Valukku Veli, a Petty chief ruling Paganeri Nadu, one of the Kallar nadus in the 18th century....
, Vellikizhamai, Nenjukku Needhi, Iniyavai Irubathu, Sanga Thamizh, Kuraloviam, Ponnar Sankar, and Thirukkural Urai. His books of prose and poetry number more than 100.
Stageplays
Karunanidhi's plays include: Manimagudam, Ore Ratham, Palaniappan, Thooku Medai, Kagithapoo, Naane Arivali, Vellikizhamai, Udhayasooriyan and Silappathikaram.Screenplays
At the age of 20, Karunanidhi went to work for Jupiter Pictures as a scriptwriter. His first film, RajakumaariRajakumaari
Rajakumaari is a Tamil language film starring M. G. Ramachandran in the lead role. The film was released in the 1940s.-Cast:...
, gained him much popularity. It was here that his skills as a scriptwriter were honed. He wrote 75 screenplays including: Rajakumaari
Rajakumaari
Rajakumaari is a Tamil language film starring M. G. Ramachandran in the lead role. The film was released in the 1940s.-Cast:...
, Abimanyu
Abhimanyu (1948 film)
Abhimanyu is a 1948 Tamil film produced by Jupiter Pictures and starring M. G. Ramachandran in a supporting role. It was based on the Mahabharatha story of Abhimanyu. The screenplay was written by A. S. A. Sami and M. Karunanidhi. This was the second film for Karunanidhi as scriptwriter. The film...
, Manthiri Kumari
Manthiri Kumari
Manthiri Kumari is a 1950 Tamil film directed by Ellis R. Dungan and starring M. G. Ramachandran and M. N. Nambiar. The screen play was written by M. Karunanidhi based on an incident from the Tamil epic Kundalakesi. This was the last Tamil film directed by Dungan and is considered to be among the...
, Marutha Naattu Ilavarasi, Manamagan, Devaki
Devaki
In Hinduism, Devaki is the wife of Vasudeva and biological mother of Krishna.She was the daughter of Devaka, the younger brother of King Ugrasena of Mathura. She was a partial incarnation of Aditi, the mother of the Devas.-Imprisonment :...
, Parasakthi, Panam
Panam
Panam may refer to:* Pan Am , a television series centered around Pan American World Airways during the 1960s* Pan American World Airways, the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927–1991...
, Thirumbipaar, Naam
Naam
Nāma is the Sanskrit for "name". Spiritually, it is the principal method or tool of meditation, which is meant to unite the soul with the Supreme Soul....
, Manohara
Manohara
Manohara is the Kinnari heroine of the Jataka Tale story of Prince Sudhana and Manohara. The legend appears in the Divyavadana and is documented by stone reliefs at Borobodur.This story is famous in Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia...
, Ammaiappan, Malai Kallan, Rangoon Radha
Rangoon Radha
Rangoon Radha is a Tamil film that was released on 1 November 1956 starring Sivaji Ganesan and P. Bhanumathi as the main cast.-Production:The story was based on play Angel Street written by Patrick Hamilton. Adaptated to film in 1940 as Gaslight starring Anton Walbrook and Diana Wynyard...
, Raja Rani
Raja Rani
Raja Rani is a 1973 Hindi film. Produced by Jagdish Kumar, the film is written and directed by veteran writer Sachin Bhowmick. This was to be Sachin's first and last attempt to take on direction. The film starred Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore along with Iftekar and Asit Sen. Mumtaz makes an...
, Puthaiyal, Pudhumai Pithan
Pudhumai Pithan
Pudhumai Pithan is a Tamil language film starring M. G. Ramachandran in the lead role. The film was released in the 1957.-Cast:-Crew:*Producer: T. R. Ramanna & T. R. Rajakumari*Production Company: RR Pictures*Director: T. R. Ramanna*Music: G. Ramanathan...
, Ellorum Innattu Mannar, Kuravanchi, Thayillapillai, Kanchi Thalaivan, Poompuhar, Poomalai, Mani Makudam, Marakka Mudiyuma?, Avan Pithana?, Pookkari, Needhikku Thandanai, Paalaivana Rojakkal, Pasa Paravaikal, Padadha Theneekkal, Niyaya Tharasu, Pasakiligal, Kannamma
Kannamma
Kannamma is a Tamil language movie directed by S.S. Baba Vikram. Karunanidhi is famous for his dialogues in "Parasakthi", which saw the rise of Sivaji Ganesan as a Tamil superstar.Kannamma opens with a soliloquy on the people, the nation and the DMK patriarch's hopes for its future...
, Uliyin Osai, Pen Singam
Pen Singam
Pen Singam is a 2010 Tamil film directed by Bali Srirangam. The film, based on M. Karunanidhi's novel Surulimalai, stars Meera Jasmine and Telugu actor Uday Kiran in lead roles, whilst Richard, Vivek, Rohini and Radha Ravi amongst others play supporting roles; Rambha, and J. K. Rithesh...
,Ilaignan
Ilaignan
Ilaignan is a 2011 Tamil-language film directed by Suresh Krishna, who directs his 50th film, and written by DMK Chief M. Karunanidhi based on the Russian novel, The Mother, by Maxim Gorky.- Plot :...
and Ponnar Shankar
Ponnar Shankar (film)
Ponnar Shankar is a 2011 Indian epic film directed by Thiagarajan. It is a fictionalised account of the Ponnar Shankar epic, adapted from M. Karunanidhis novel of the same name. It features Thiagarajan's son Prashanth in lead dual roles as warrior princes, portraying the titular characters, with...
Politics
Entry into politics
Karunanidhi entered politics at the age of 14, inspired by a speech by Alagiriswamii of the Justice PartyJustice Party (India)
The Justice Party , officially known as South Indian Liberal Federation, was a political party in the Madras Presidency of British India. The party was established in 1917 by T. M. Nair and Theagaroya Chetty as a result of a series of non-Brahmin conferences and meetings in the presidency...
, and participated in Anti-Hindi agitations
Anti-Hindi agitations
The Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu are a series of agitations that happened in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu during both pre- and post-Independence periods...
. He founded an organisation for the local youth of his locality. He circulated a handwritten newspaper called Manavar Nesan to its members. Later he founded a student organisation called Tamil Nadu Tamil Manavar Mandram, which was the first student wing of the Dravidan Movement. Karunanidhi involved himself and the student community in social work with other members. Here he started a newspaper for its members, which grew into Murasoli, the DMK
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar...
party's official newspaper.
The first major protest that aided Karunanidhi in gaining ground in Tamil politics was his involvement in the Kallakudi agitation in Kallakudi
Kallakudi
Kallakudi is a panchayat town in Tiruchirappalli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Demographics: India census, Kallakudi had a population of 11,625. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Kallakudi has an average literacy rate of 83%, higher than the national average of...
. Original name of this industrial town was Kallakudi and it was changed to Dalmiapuram after a cement mogul from North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
who built a cement plant there. DMK wanted to change the name back to Kallagudi.. In the protest Karunanidhi and his companions erased the name Dalmiapuram from the railway station and lay down on the tracks blocking the course of trains. Two people died in the protest and Karunanidhi was arrested.
Rise to power
Karunanidhi was first elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly in 1957 from the Kulithalai assembly of Thiruchirapalli district. He became the DMK treasurer in 1961 and deputy leader of opposition in the state assembly in the year 1962 and when the DMK came to power in 1967, he became the minister for public works. When Annadurai expired in 1969, Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu. He has held various positions in the party and government during his long career in Tamil Nadu political arena.He took over as chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
on 13 May 2006 after his coalition defeated his main opponent J. Jayalalithaa
J. Jayalalithaa
Jayalalithaa Jayaram ; born 24 February 1948) commonly referred to as J. Jayalalitha, is the Chief Minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. She is the incumbent general secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian party. She is called Amma and Puratchi Thalaivi by her...
in the May 2006 elections
Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 2006
The thirteenth legislative assembly election, of Tamil Nadu was held on May 8, 2006. It was held for all 234 constituencies to elect the government in the state of for the following five years. The votes were counted three days later on May 11, 2006 and all the results were out by the end of the day...
. He represents the constituency of Tiruvarur in the Tamil Nadu state Legislative Assembly. He has been elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly 12 times and once to the now abolished Tamil Nadu Legislative Council.
Achievements / Schemes
Many Bridges were constructed throughout the state, including Anna Flyover, Chennai; Uppilipalayam Flyover, Coimbatore; Double Bridge at Tirunelveli; Eight Bridges across the River Vaigain in Madurai City; Two Bridges across the River Cauvery in Trichy City; More than Ten Bridges in Chennai City are the few. Also he gave importance to Road and Transport Development throughout the State.Other social Schemes includes:
1. Free Eye Camp Scheme to eradicate Cataract (during 70s)
2. Marriage aid to poor girls to eliminate frustration
3. Uzhavar Santhai for Direct Selling of Agri Products by the Farmer without any agents interruption
4. Mini Bus Scheme to cater Transportation to Remote Villages where Government Buses are not plying
5. Anna Marumalarchi Scheme for renovation of Villages on their Own
6. Abolition of Hand Rickshaws and replaced with Cycle Rickshaw for improving self esteem
7. Namakku Naame Scheme for Self Development by the Village schemes
8. Slum Clearance Board to replace huts with Concrete Apartment Houses
9. Industrial Complex in all the districts to develop Industrial Growth
10. Minor Ports throughout the State to improve Coastal People Life
11. Free Electricity to Huts and Agriculture to improve their life
These are the few schemes implemented by him.
Editor and publisher
He started Murasoli on 10 August 1942. He was the founding editor and publisher of Murasoli during his boyhood as a monthly, then a weekly, and now a daily. He used his talents as a journalist and cartoonist to bring issues relevant to his political ideology before the public. He writes daily letters addressed to his party workers by name; he has been writing these for over 50 years.In addition he has served as editor for Kudiyarasu and gave life to the journal Mutharam. He is the founder of State Governments News Reel, Arasu Studio and also the Government Journal Tamil Arasu, published in Tamil and English.
World Tamil Conference
He delivered the special address on the inaugural day of 3rd World Tamil Conference held in Paris in the year 1970, and also on the inaugural day of 6th World Tamil Conference held in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) in the year 1987.He penned the song "Semmozhiyaana Tamizh Mozhiyaam", the official theme song for the Unofficial World Classical Tamil Conference 2010, that was set to tune by A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
, at his own request.
Awards and titles
- Annamalai UniversityAnnamalai UniversityAnnamalai University is a Public University located in Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. The university offers courses of higher education in arts, sciences and engineering.The university also provides around 380 courses under distance mode...
awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1971. - He was awarded "Raja Rajan Award" by Tamil University, Thanjavur for his book "Thenpandi Singam".
- On 15 December 2006, the Governor of Tamil Nadu and the Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University, Surjit Singh Barnala conferred an honorary doctorate on the Chief Minister on the occasion of the 40th annual convocation.
- In June 2007, the Tamil Nadu Muslim Makkal Katchi announced that it would confer the title 'Friend of the Muslim Community' ('Yaaran-E-Millath') upon M. Karunanidhi.
Controversies
He has been indicted by the Sarkaria commission for corruption in allotting tenders for the Veeranam project.Indra Gandhi dismissed the Karunanidhi government based on charges of possible secession and corruption.
In 2001 Karunanidhi, former chief secretary, K.A. Nambiar, and a host of others were arrested on charges of corruption in the construction of flyovers in Chennai.
He and his party members were also charged under Sections 120(b) (criminal conspiracy), 167 (public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury), 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the IPC, and Section 13 (2) read with 13 (1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, but no prima facie
Prima facie
Prima facie is a Latin expression meaning on its first encounter, first blush, or at first sight. The literal translation would be "at first face", from the feminine form of primus and facies , both in the ablative case. It is used in modern legal English to signify that on first examination, a...
evidence was found against him and his son M K Stalin.
Ram Setu remarks
In response to SethusamudramSethusamudram
Sethusamudram is the sea that separates Tamil Nadu, India, from Sri Lanka. It encompasses the Gulf of Mannar, the Palk Strait, and a shoal of islands and bays that separate them called Ram Setu...
controversy, Karunanidhi questioned the existence of the Hindu God Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
. He asked:
His remarks caused a firestorm of controversy. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad accused Karunanidhi of religious discrimination when noting "We would like to know from Karunanidhi if he would make a similar statement against religious head of any other religion; chance are he may not."
Nationalist Congress Party
Nationalist Congress Party
The Nationalist Congress Party is a centre to centre left political party primarily based in the state of Maharashtra, India.-Background:...
spokesman D. P. Tripathi said, "Where is the need of asking for evidence on the existence of Ram when lots of people have unreserved faith in him?"
In response to these statements, Karunanidhi defiantly stated, "Anyway, neither Valmiki nor Ram is here now [to vouch for claims of Ram's existence]. There is only a group that thinks of people as fools. They will be proved wrong."
Several days later, he commented:
Connections with LTTE
The interim report of Justice Jain Commission, which oversaw the investigation into Rajiv GandhiRajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
's assassination, indicted Karunanidhi for abetting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(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.
In April 2009,in an interview to NDTV
NDTV
NDTV is an Indian commercial broadcasting television network founded in 1988. It was founded by Prannoy Roy, an eminent journalist and current chairman and director of NDTV Group. NDTV currently has more than 1,000 employees producing news from over twenty locations in India...
, Karunanidhi made a controversial remark stating that "Prabhakaran is my good friend" and also said, "India could not forgive the LTTE for assassinating Rajiv Gandhi".
Allegations of nepotism
Karunanidhi has been accused by opponents, by some members of his party, and by other political observers of trying to promote nepotismNepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
and start a political dynasty along the lines of the Nehru-Gandhi family. Vaiko, who quit the DMK, has been the most vocal. Political observers say that Vaiko was sidelined as he was seen as a threat to M.K. Stalin
M.K. Stalin
Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin is an Indian politician and former actor, better known as M. K. Stalin. He is the third son of famous politician of Tamil Nadu, Karunanidhi, and was born to his second wife, Mrs. Dayalu Ammal and was named after Joseph Stalin. Stalin completed his graduation in...
and other family members.
His nephew, the late Murasoli Maran
Murasoli Maran
Murasoli Maran was a prominent Tamil politician in India, and an important leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party which is headed by his maternal uncle and mentor, M. Karunanidhi. A Member of Parliament for 36 years, he was made a Union Minister in three separate central governments, in...
, was a Union Minister; however, it has been pointed out that he was in politics long before Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister in 1969. He was arrested several times, including in the Anti-Hindi agitations
Anti-Hindi agitations
The Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu are a series of agitations that happened in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu during both pre- and post-Independence periods...
in 1965. He was asked to contest the by-election for South Madras in 1967 and the nomination papers were signed by Rajaji, Annadurai and Mohammed Ismail (Quaid-e-Millath), demonstrating that his political career was not built entirely on his relation to Karunanidhi.
Many political opponents and DMK party senior leaders have been critical of the rise of M. K. Stalin in the party. But some of the party men have pointed out that Stalin has come up on his own. He has faced a lot of hardship since 1975, when he was jailed under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act
Maintenance of Internal Security Act
The misa was a controversial law passed by the Indian parliament in 1971 giving the administration of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Indian law enforcement agencies super powers - indefinite "preventive" detention of individuals, search and seizure of property without warrants, and wiretapping -...
(MISA) and was beaten up in jail so brutally during the Emergency that a fellow DMK party prisoner died trying to save him. Stalin was an MLA in 1989 and 1996 when his father Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister, but he was not inducted into the Cabinet. He became Chennai's 44th mayor and its first directly elected mayor in 1996. It was only in his fourth term as MLA that he was made a Minister in the Karunanidhi cabinet and then in 2009 was made the Deputy Chief Minister.
Before bringing M K Stalin into the Limelight of the Politics, all the prominent leaders worked hard for the party were given due importance. This includes Mr. J Anbazhagan (Son of Pazhakkadai Jayaraman); Mr. Thangam Thennarasu (Son of Thangapandiyan); Mrs. Poongothai Aruna (Daughter of Aladi Aruna); Mr. Parithi Ilamvazhuthi (Son of Ilamparithi); Mr. Pazhanivel Rajan (Son of PTR); Mr. A.G Sampath (Son of A.Govindaswamy) etc. Thus all those work for the party were given proper position in the party and as well as in the Government. Finally M K Stalin was given a chance for MLA in 1996, after his service to party for more than 30 years. Hence the allegations of Nepotism in the party is an imaginary one.
Unlike other Political parties of Tamilnadu, Mr. Karunanidhi developed Second Level Leaders with ability to handle any situation in party and Government. This leaders includes Arcot Veeraswamy, Veerapandi Arumugam, Nehru, Thuraimurugan, Ponmudi, Mookkaiya, Karuppasaamy Pandiyan etc., We cannot see such Party Democracy in any other Political Parties in Tamilnadu.
Karunanidhi has been accused of helping Murasoli Maran's son Kalanidhi Maran
Kalanidhi Maran
Kalanithi Maran is the Chairman and Managing Director of Sun Network, which is the most profitable Television network in Asia.In June 2010, he acquired Spice Jet which was the most profitable airlines in India...
, who runs Sun Network
Sun Network
Sun TV Network is an Indian media company based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, part of Kal Media Services, Sun Group. It has been named as Asia's most profitable media corporations and the largest TV network. Established on April 14, 1993, it created and owns a variety of television channels and...
, India's second largest television network. According to Forbes, Kalanidhi is among India's richest 20, with $2.9 billion. Again commentators say that he raised himself into the position on his own merit and even Karunanidhi's sons have achieved nothing compared to him which has been a cause of friction between them. His channels have been the mouth organ of the DMK party (until recent time) and balanced the Jaya TV of the AIADMK.
Another son of Maran's, Dayanidhi Maran
Dayanidhi Maran
Dayanidhi Maran is a member of parliament in India’s 15th Lok Sabha from Chennai Central constituency and Additional Deputy Leader of DMK. He was also the Minister for Textiles in the Union Cabinet, and has also served as the as the Minister for Communications and Information Technology before that...
, is a former Union Minister for Communications and IT portfolio, not broadcasting ministry, which is responsible for TV networks. Dayanidhi Maran was withdrawn from the IT and Communications portfolio at Center (he was a Union Minister for IT and Communications) because Dinakaran (a newspaper run by the Maran brothers) had shown the result of a public poll which read Dayanidhi Maran as the successor to Karunanidhi. This created a bloody violence in the Madurai branch of Dinakaran office, causing the death of three employees. This was again seen as a result of the dynasty controversy in Karunanidhi's family.
It has been pointed out that Karunanidhi has hesitated to take action against his erring family members, though he has expelled his other sons M.K. Muthu and M.K. Azhagiri when they were guilty of wrong doing and similarly removed Dayanidhi Maran
Dayanidhi Maran
Dayanidhi Maran is a member of parliament in India’s 15th Lok Sabha from Chennai Central constituency and Additional Deputy Leader of DMK. He was also the Minister for Textiles in the Union Cabinet, and has also served as the as the Minister for Communications and Information Technology before that...
from the position of Union Minister (because of the reason stated in the previous paragraph).
Of late, he has been accused of not taking action against M.K. Azhagiri after his supporters attacked the newspaper office of Dinakaran, killing three people (as stated above). M.K. Azhagiri is the prime accused in the murder case of the former DMK Minister
Kiruttinan. Karunanidhi is also accused of allowing Azhagiri to function as an extraconstitutional authority in Madurai. The Dinakaran newspaper case was handed over to the CBI. But the District and Sessions court acquitted all the 17 accused in that case. So far, the case has not been appealed in a higher court to identify and punish the perpetrators of the crime.
His daughter Kanimozhi has been nominated for a Rajya Sabha post.
Alleged involvement in 2G Scam
Karunanidhi has also been accused by Subramanian SwamySubramanian Swamy
Subramanian Swamy is an Indian politician, academician, and an economist and presently the President of the Janata Party of India.-Early life and education:...
of involvement in the 2G spectrum scam
2G spectrum scam
The 2G spectrum scandal involved officials in the government of India illegally undercharging mobile telephony companies for frequency allocation licenses, which they would use to create 2G subscriptions for cell phones...
. One of his TV channel stations - Kalaignar TV
Kalaignar TV
Kalaignar TV is a Tamil language satellite television channel based in Chennai, India.-History:After disputes between Kalanithi Maran and M. K. Azhagiri, Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi launched this channel on September 15 2007...
was raided by Central Bureau of Investigation
Central Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
(CBI) officers in connection with the 2G scam on 19 February 2011. Karunanidhi's daughter MK Kanimozhi arrested and sent to Tihar jail on 20-05-2011 for alleged kickbacks in 2G Scam. She has been arrested for the illegal transfer of money to the DMK's official channel Kalaignar TV
Kalaignar TV
Kalaignar TV is a Tamil language satellite television channel based in Chennai, India.-History:After disputes between Kalanithi Maran and M. K. Azhagiri, Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi launched this channel on September 15 2007...
. DMK MP A Raja is the prime accused in 2 G scam and sent to Tihar Jail.
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA)
| Year | Elected/Reelected | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Elected | Kulithalai |
| 1962 Madras legislative assembly election, 1962 The third legislative assembly election to the Madras state was held on 21 February 1962. The Indian National Congress party, led by K. Kamaraj, won the election. This was the last time that Congress won an election in Tamil Nadu... |
Elected | Thanjavur |
| 1967 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1967 The fourth legislative assembly election of Madras State was held in February 1967. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led coalition under the leadership of C.N. Annadurai won the election defeating the Indian National Congress . Anti-Hindi agitations, the rising prices of essential commodities and a... |
Elected | Saidapet Saidapet (State Assembly Constituency) Saidapet is the legislative assembly, that includes the city, Saidapet. Saidapet assembly constituency was part of Chennai South .- Madras State :- Tamil Nadu :- References :... |
| 1971 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1971 The fifth legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held in March 1971. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was re-elected, after its first victory under the leadership of C N Annadurai in 1967. This was the first time M. Karunanidhi, contested as the leader of DMK party won the election, since he... |
Reelected | Saidapet Saidapet (State Assembly Constituency) Saidapet is the legislative assembly, that includes the city, Saidapet. Saidapet assembly constituency was part of Chennai South .- Madras State :- Tamil Nadu :- References :... |
| 1977 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1977 The sixth legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held on June 10, 1977. Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won the election defeating its rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam . M. G. Ramachandran was sworn in as Chief Minister for the first time. The election was a four cornered contest between... |
Elected | Anna Nagar Anna Nagar (State Assembly Constituency) Anna Nagar is a state assembly constituency in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It includes the locality, Anna Nagar, which is in Chennai. It is part of the Chennai Central parliamentary constituency.-Members of the Legislative Assembly:- References :... |
| 1980 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1980 The seventh legislative assembly election to Tamil Nadu was held on May 28, 1980. Election was held two years before the end of the term of M. G. Ramachandran administration as it was dissolved by the then President of India Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam allied with the Indian... |
Reelected | Anna Nagar Anna Nagar (State Assembly Constituency) Anna Nagar is a state assembly constituency in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It includes the locality, Anna Nagar, which is in Chennai. It is part of the Chennai Central parliamentary constituency.-Members of the Legislative Assembly:- References :... |
| 1989 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1989 The ninth legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held on 21 January 1989. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won the election and its leader M. Karunanidhi, became the Chief Minister. It was his third term in office... |
Elected | Harbour Harbour (State Assembly Constituency) - Madras State :- Tamil Nadu :- 1984 Election results : - 1989 Election results : *Due to the split after MGR's death, C.P... |
| 1991 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1991 The tenth legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held on 24 June 1991. The Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - Indian National Congress alliance won the elections in a landslide and ADMK leader J. Jayalalithaa became the chief minister. This was her first term in office... |
Reelected | Harbour Harbour (State Assembly Constituency) - Madras State :- Tamil Nadu :- 1984 Election results : - 1989 Election results : *Due to the split after MGR's death, C.P... |
| 1996 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1996 The eleventh legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held on 2 May 1996. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led front won the election and its leader M. Karunanidhi, became the chief minister.This was his fourth term in office. The incumbent Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government was... |
Elected | Chepauk Chepauk (State Assembly Constituency) Chepauk is the legislative assembly, that includes the city, Chepauk. Chepauk assembly constituency was part of Chennai Central . This constituency is currently held by DMK leader, M... |
| 2001 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 2001 The twelfth legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held on May 10, 2001. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam -led front won the elections and its leader, J. Jayalalithaa was sworn in as Chief Minister, even though she could not legally run as MLA in this election. She was unanimously... |
Reelected | Chepauk Chepauk (State Assembly Constituency) Chepauk is the legislative assembly, that includes the city, Chepauk. Chepauk assembly constituency was part of Chennai Central . This constituency is currently held by DMK leader, M... |
| 2006 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 2006 The thirteenth legislative assembly election, of Tamil Nadu was held on May 8, 2006. It was held for all 234 constituencies to elect the government in the state of for the following five years. The votes were counted three days later on May 11, 2006 and all the results were out by the end of the day... |
Reelected | Chepauk Chepauk (State Assembly Constituency) Chepauk is the legislative assembly, that includes the city, Chepauk. Chepauk assembly constituency was part of Chennai Central . This constituency is currently held by DMK leader, M... |
| 2011 | Elected | Thiruvarur |
Posts in Legislature
| From year | To year | Post |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 1967 | Deputy Leader of the Opposition |
| 1967 | 1969 | State Minister for Public Works |
| 1977 | 1980 | Leader of the Opposition |
| 1980 | 1983 | Leader of the Opposition |
| 1984 | 1986 | Elected to Legislative Council |
Chief Minister
| From Year | To Year | Election |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 1971 | Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1967 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1967 The fourth legislative assembly election of Madras State was held in February 1967. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led coalition under the leadership of C.N. Annadurai won the election defeating the Indian National Congress . Anti-Hindi agitations, the rising prices of essential commodities and a... |
| 1971 | 1976 | Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1971 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1971 The fifth legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held in March 1971. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was re-elected, after its first victory under the leadership of C N Annadurai in 1967. This was the first time M. Karunanidhi, contested as the leader of DMK party won the election, since he... |
| 1989 | 1991 | Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1989 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1989 The ninth legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held on 21 January 1989. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won the election and its leader M. Karunanidhi, became the Chief Minister. It was his third term in office... |
| 1996 | 2001 | Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1996 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1996 The eleventh legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held on 2 May 1996. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led front won the election and its leader M. Karunanidhi, became the chief minister.This was his fourth term in office. The incumbent Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government was... |
| 2006 | 2011 | Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 2006 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 2006 The thirteenth legislative assembly election, of Tamil Nadu was held on May 8, 2006. It was held for all 234 constituencies to elect the government in the state of for the following five years. The votes were counted three days later on May 11, 2006 and all the results were out by the end of the day... |