Politics of Tamil Nadu
Encyclopedia
Dravidian parties
have dominated state politics since 1967. One of the earliest regional parties was the South Indian Welfare Association, which was founded in 1916. It came to be known as the Justice Party
after the name of its English-language daily, Justice. E.V. Ramasami, popularly known as "Periyar
", renamed the party Dravidar Kazhagam
in 1944. DK was a non-political party which demanded the establishment of an independent state called Dravida Nadu. However, due to the differences between its two leaders Periyar and C.N. Annadurai
, the party was split. Annadurai left the party to form the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
(DMK). The DMK decided to enter into politics in 1956.
In the 19th century, Western scholars proposed that Dravidian languages
that dominates the south of India formed a different linguistic group to that of Indo-Aryan languages
that are predominant in the north of the country. They also classified Indians into distinct Aryan and Dravidian races, it was supposed that the generally darker-skinned Dravidians constituted a distinct race. This concept has affected thinking in India about racial and regional differences and had an impact on aspects of Tamil nationalism, which has appropriated the claim that Dravidians are the earliest inhabitants of India, and the Aryan population were oppressive interlopers from whom Dravidians should liberate themselves. History has shown that Dravidian language family predates Indo-aryan language family in India, however both language groups have been influenced by the other during the course of three millennia.
Re-organisation of Indian states according to linguistic and ethnic basis has moderated Tamil nationalism, especially the demand for separation from the Indian Union. The Anti-Hindi agitations
in mid-1960s made the DMK more popular and more powerful political force in the state. The DMK routed the Indian National Congress
party in the 1967 elections and took control of the state government, ending Congress's stronghold in Tamil Nadu. C.N. Annadurai became the DMK's first Chief Minister
, and Muthuvel Karunanidhi took over as Chief Minister and party leader after Annadurai's death in 1969.Karunanidhi's leadership was soon challenged by M.G. Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR. In 1972, he split from DMK and formed the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
(AIADMK). He was the Chief Minister of the state from 1977 until his death in 1987. After the death of MGR, the party split again into two factions, one led by Janaki Ramachandran
, wife of MGR, and the other led by J. Jayalalithaa
. After the defeat of AIADMK in 1989 assembly polls, both factions were merged and Jayalalithaa took control of the party. She was elected as the General Secretary of the unified AIADMK. There have been splits in both the DMK and the AIADMK, but since 1967 one of those two parties has held power in the state. In the State elections after M.G. Ramachandran's death, neither of the two parties could come back to power in consecutive assembly elections. Governments were formed by: DMK in 1989, AIADMK in 1991, DMK alliance in 1996, AIADMK alliance in 2001 and DMK alliance in 2006.
DMK has slowly moved from espousing backward classes to economic oriented politics. Its members wear branded clothes, mingle with business heads and talk about development growth. Nowadaya, DMK vote is mainly derived from urban areas
Starting from 1990s, caste based politics is on the rise in Tamil Nadu. Pattali Makkal Katchi
(PMK) party deriving strength from vanniars, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katch (VCK) party based on Dalit
votes and Puthiya Thamilagam based on another sect of Dalits have been gaining prominence in Tamil Nadu. These parties have been gaining modest electoral success and slowly eating into traditional vote banks of DMK and AIADMK. Recently an outfit supporting Kongu Vellala Gounders also joined this list, a caste decides electoral victories in West Tamil Nadu, with the launch of their own political party Kongunadu Munnetra Peravai
(KMP) in February 2009.
Dravidian parties
Dravidian parties include an array of regional political parties in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, which trace their origins and ideologies either directly or indirectly to the Dravidian movement of Periyar E. V...
have dominated state politics since 1967. One of the earliest regional parties was the South Indian Welfare Association, which was founded in 1916. It came to be known as the Justice Party
Justice 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...
after the name of its English-language daily, Justice. E.V. Ramasami, popularly known as "Periyar
Periyar
Periyar may refer to*Periyar , a major river in Kerala*Periyar district, the erstwhile name for Erode district in Tamil Nadu*Periyar National Park*Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, a Tamil social reformer...
", renamed the party Dravidar Kazhagam
Dravidar Kazhagam
Dravidar Kazhagam or Dravida Kazhagam was the first fully Dravidian party in India. It was a radical party formed by E. V. Ramaswamy, also called Thanthai Periyar of erstwhile Madras Presidency...
in 1944. DK was a non-political party which demanded the establishment of an independent state called Dravida Nadu. However, due to the differences between its two leaders Periyar and C.N. Annadurai
Annadurai
Annadurai can refer to:* C. N. Annadurai, an Indian politician* Mylswamy Annadurai, an Indian scientist...
, the party was split. Annadurai left the party to form the 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). The DMK decided to enter into politics in 1956.
In the 19th century, Western scholars proposed that Dravidian languages
Dravidian languages
The Dravidian language family includes approximately 85 genetically related languages, spoken by about 217 million people. They are mainly spoken in southern India and parts of eastern and central India as well as in northeastern Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, and...
that dominates the south of India formed a different linguistic group to that of Indo-Aryan languages
Indo-Aryan languages
The Indo-Aryan languages constitutes a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages, itself a branch of the Indo-European language family...
that are predominant in the north of the country. They also classified Indians into distinct Aryan and Dravidian races, it was supposed that the generally darker-skinned Dravidians constituted a distinct race. This concept has affected thinking in India about racial and regional differences and had an impact on aspects of Tamil nationalism, which has appropriated the claim that Dravidians are the earliest inhabitants of India, and the Aryan population were oppressive interlopers from whom Dravidians should liberate themselves. History has shown that Dravidian language family predates Indo-aryan language family in India, however both language groups have been influenced by the other during the course of three millennia.
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 mid-1960s made the DMK more popular and more powerful political force in the state. The DMK routed the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party in the 1967 elections and took control of the state government, ending Congress's stronghold in Tamil Nadu. C.N. Annadurai became the DMK's first Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
, and Muthuvel Karunanidhi took over as Chief Minister and party leader after Annadurai's death in 1969.Karunanidhi's leadership was soon challenged by M.G. Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR. In 1972, he split from DMK and formed the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. The party was founded by M. G. Ramachandran and is now headed by J. Jayalalithaa. The party headquarters is in Royapettah, Chennai, and was gifted to the party in 1986 by its...
(AIADMK). He was the Chief Minister of the state from 1977 until his death in 1987. After the death of MGR, the party split again into two factions, one led by Janaki Ramachandran
Janaki Ramachandran
Janaki Ramachandran , popularly known as V.N. Janaki , was an Indian Tamil actress and politician. She was born to Rajagopal Iyer and Narayani Amma in the town of Vaikom in Kerala State. She had a brother P. Narayanan who was an educationalist...
, wife of MGR, and the other led by 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...
. After the defeat of AIADMK in 1989 assembly polls, both factions were merged and Jayalalithaa took control of the party. She was elected as the General Secretary of the unified AIADMK. There have been splits in both the DMK and the AIADMK, but since 1967 one of those two parties has held power in the state. In the State elections after M.G. Ramachandran's death, neither of the two parties could come back to power in consecutive assembly elections. Governments were formed by: DMK in 1989, AIADMK in 1991, DMK alliance in 1996, AIADMK alliance in 2001 and DMK alliance in 2006.
DMK has slowly moved from espousing backward classes to economic oriented politics. Its members wear branded clothes, mingle with business heads and talk about development growth. Nowadaya, DMK vote is mainly derived from urban areas
Starting from 1990s, caste based politics is on the rise in Tamil Nadu. Pattali Makkal Katchi
Pattali Makkal Katchi
Paattali Makkal Katchi is a Tamil political party.-History:PMK was founded by Dr. S. Ramdoss and the state president is G. K. Mani. Ramdoss had earlier worked with the Vanniyar Sangham founded by him in 1980. PMK is based amongst the Most Backward Class Vanniyakula Kshatriyas community...
(PMK) party deriving strength from vanniars, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katch (VCK) party based on Dalit
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
votes and Puthiya Thamilagam based on another sect of Dalits have been gaining prominence in Tamil Nadu. These parties have been gaining modest electoral success and slowly eating into traditional vote banks of DMK and AIADMK. Recently an outfit supporting Kongu Vellala Gounders also joined this list, a caste decides electoral victories in West Tamil Nadu, with the launch of their own political party Kongunadu Munnetra Peravai
Kongunadu Munnetra Peravai
Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam is a political party in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The party's vote base is mainly concentrated in the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu.-Origins and platform:...
(KMP) in February 2009.