Alliance

Rajaji founds the Swatantra Party

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

Kamaraj becomes Congress president and 'kingmaker'

As president of the Indian National Congress, K. Kamaraj guided the selection of two Prime Ministers.

DMK wins the 1967 Assembly election

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

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.

Congress-AIADMK alliance wins 34 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu

In the post-Emergency Lok Sabha election, the Congress-AIADMK-CPI alliance won 34 of Tamil Nadu's 39 seats even as the Janata Party took power nationally.

DMK-Congress alliance wins 37 of 39 Lok Sabha seats

The Congress (Indira) and DMK alliance won 37 of Tamil Nadu's 39 Lok Sabha seats, a setback for M. G. Ramachandran's ruling AIADMK.

AIADMK wins 1984 election while MGR is in hospital abroad

Contesting from a hospital in the United States, MGR led the AIADMK-Congress alliance to victory in the 1984 assembly election.

Congress-AIADMK alliance wins 38 of 39 Lok Sabha seats

Months after losing the state election, the reunited AIADMK and its ally the Congress won 38 of Tamil Nadu's 39 Lok Sabha seats.

Jayalalithaa becomes Chief Minister for the first time

The AIADMK-Congress alliance swept the June 1991 election and J. Jayalalithaa became Chief Minister, the youngest in the state's history at the time.

G. K. Moopanar forms Tamil Maanila Congress

Opposing the Congress's alliance with the AIADMK, G. K. Moopanar led a breakaway to form the Tamil Maanila Congress.

Rajinikanth backs the DMK-TMC alliance

Staying out of politics himself, Rajinikanth warned that 'even God cannot save' Tamil Nadu if Jayalalithaa's party won again, and endorsed the DMK-TMC alliance.

DMK-TMC alliance wins 1996 election

The DMK-TMC alliance won 221 of 234 assembly seats and all 39 Lok Sabha seats; M. Karunanidhi became Chief Minister for the fourth time.

AIADMK allies with the BJP; NDA wins 30 seats in Tamil Nadu

Breaking its long alliance with the Congress, the AIADMK joined the BJP-led front, which won 30 of Tamil Nadu's 39 Lok Sabha seats.

AIADMK withdraws support, Vajpayee government falls

The AIADMK's withdrawal of support led to the Vajpayee government losing a confidence vote by a single vote.

DMK allies with the BJP; NDA wins 26 seats in Tamil Nadu

With the AIADMK out of the NDA, the DMK allied with the BJP for the first time and the NDA won 26 of Tamil Nadu's 39 Lok Sabha seats.

AIADMK alliance wins the 2001 Assembly election

The AIADMK-led alliance defeated the DMK government and J. Jayalalithaa was sworn in as Chief Minister for the second time.

DMK-led alliance wins all 39 Lok Sabha seats

The DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance with the Congress and Left won every Lok Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry; the AIADMK-BJP alliance won none.

DMK forms a minority government

M. Karunanidhi became Chief Minister for the fifth time, heading a DMK government that depended on outside support from the Congress.

DMK-Congress alliance wins 27 of 39 Lok Sabha seats

Against expectations, the DMK, Congress and VCK won 27 of Tamil Nadu's 39 Lok Sabha seats, helping the UPA return to power.

AIADMK returns to power in 2011

The AIADMK alliance won a large majority and J. Jayalalithaa became Chief Minister for the third time; the DMDK became the main opposition.

DMK alliance sweeps 2019 Lok Sabha election in Tamil Nadu

The DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance won 38 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu.

DMK wins 2021 election; M. K. Stalin becomes Chief Minister

The DMK-led alliance won the 2021 Assembly election and M. K. Stalin was sworn in as Chief Minister for the first time.

DMK alliance wins all 39 Lok Sabha seats

The DMK-led INDIA bloc won all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu; the AIADMK and BJP, contesting separately, won none.