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Rajaji founds the Swatantra Party

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Rajaji founds the Swatantra Party
Unknown author, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Leaving the Congress, C. Rajagopalachari launched the Swatantra Party, which went on to ally with the DMK against Congress.

On 4 June 1959 C. Rajagopalachari quit the Indian National Congress and launched the Swatantra Party. It stood for a market-oriented economy and against what Rajaji termed the licence-permit raj. The party fought Congress in Madras State at the elections of 1962, 1967 and 1971. Rajaji played a key part in forming the anti-Congress front led by C. N. Annadurai, which won in 1967.

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  2. 1961

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      E. V. K. Sampath leaves the DMK and forms the Tamil National Party

      E. V. K. Sampath split from the DMK and founded the Tamil National Party with the poet Kannadasan.

  3. 1962

    1. Feb 1962ChennaiPolitics

      DMK becomes main opposition in 1962 election

      Congress under Kamaraj retained power in 1962, while the DMK won 50 seats to become the principal opposition party.

  4. 1967

    1. Feb 1967ChennaiPolitics

      DMK wins the 1967 Assembly election

      A DMK-led alliance defeated the Congress, ending Congress rule in Madras State; Kamaraj lost his own seat.

  5. 1971

    1. Mar 1971ChennaiPolitics

      DMK wins 184 seats in the 1971 election

      The DMK, allied with Indira Gandhi's Congress, won a landslide in the first Assembly election held under the name Tamil Nadu.

  6. 1972

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      MGR expelled from DMK; AIADMK founded

      After demanding that DMK ministers declare their assets, M. G. Ramachandran was expelled and launched the Anna DMK.

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