Tamil Nadu has been governed by major leaders from the Dravidian and Congress parties since 1947. The role of the Prime Minister has evolved from the Madras Presidency.
Tamil Nadu is governed by many prominent figures from both the Dravidian and Indian National Congress parties. Since 1947, the Prime Minister’s role has evolved from leading the Madras Presidency to the Tamil Nadu State, which was officially renamed in 1969.
With Tamil Nadu Assembly election results expected on May 4, a look at the names, positions and political affiliations of the southern state’s chief ministers over the years:
Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu (after independence)
| no. | Name of the Prime Minister | Tenure period | Party affiliation |
| 1 | OP Ramaswamy Reddiyar | March 23, 1947 – April 6, 1949 | Indian National Congress |
| 2 | B. S. Coomaraswamy Raja | April 6, 1949 – April 10, 1952 | Indian National Congress |
| 3 | C.Rajagopalachari | April 10, 1952 – April 13, 1954 | Indian National Congress |
| 4 | your. Kamaraj | April 13, 1954 – October 2, 1963 | Indian National Congress |
| 5 | M. Bhaktavatsalaam | October 2, 1963 – March 6, 1967 | Indian National Congress |
| 6 | CN Annadurai | March 6, 1967 – February 3, 1969 | DMK |
| 7 | M. Karunanidhi | February 10, 1969 – January 31, 1976 | DMK |
| 8 | M. G. Ramachandran | June 30, 1977 – February 17, 1980 | Iyadmk |
| 9 | M. G. Ramachandran (Second semester) | June 9, 1980 – December 24, 1987 | Iyadmk |
| 10 | In N. Janaki Ramachandran | January 7, 1988 – January 30, 1988 | Iyadmk |
| 11 | M. Karunanidhi (Second semester) | January 27, 1989 – January 30, 1991 | DMK |
| 12 | J Jayalalithaa | June 24, 1991 – May 12, 1996 | Iyadmk |
| 13 | M. Karunanidhi (Chapter Three) | May 13, 1996 – May 13, 2001 | DMK |
| 14 | J Jayalalithaa (Second semester) | May 14, 2001 – September 21, 2001 | Iyadmk |
| 15 | Oh Panneerselvam | September 21, 2001 – March 2, 2002 | Iyadmk |
| 16 | J Jayalalithaa (Chapter Three) | March 2, 2002 – May 12, 2006 | Iyadmk |
| 17 | M. Karunanidhi (Chapter Four) | May 13, 2006 – May 15, 2011 | DMK |
| 18 | J Jayalalithaa (Chapter Four) | May 16, 2011 – September 27, 2014 | Iyadmk |
| 19 | Oh Panneerselvam (Second semester) | September 29, 2014 – May 22, 2015 | Iyadmk |
| 20 | J Jayalalithaa (Chapter Five) | May 23, 2015 – December 5, 2016 | Iyadmk |
| 21 | Oh Panneerselvam (Chapter Three) | December 6, 2016 – February 16, 2017 | Iyadmk |
| 22 | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | February 16, 2017 – May 6, 2021 | Iyadmk |
| 23 | MK Stalin | May 7, 2021 – current | DMK |
Here are some basic facts about Tamil Nadu Ministers
- Renaming the country: During C. N. Annadurai’s tenure in 1969, the state was officially renamed from Madras State to Tamil Nadu.
- Longest service: M Karunanidhi holds the record for the most terms as Prime Minister, having served five different times over four decades.
- transfer of power: Since 1967, Tamil Nadu has been governed exclusively by leaders from the DMK or AIADMK, marking a complete shift away from national parties in the state legislature.
- President’s ruling: The state has been under President’s rule four times (1976, 1980, 1988, and 1991) due to various political developments and dismissals of state governments.
Some historical care plans
- Mid-Day Meal Plan (K Kamaraj): Launched in the 1950s, this revolutionary program provided free meals to school children to boost school enrollment rates and reduce malnutrition.
- Nutritious Afternoon Meal Scheme (M.G. Ramachandran): In 1982, MGR expanded the existing meal program by adding eggs and beans, creating one of the largest nutrition programs in the world.
- Baby Cradle Diagram (J Jayalalithaa): Introduced in 1992 to combat female infanticide, the scheme allows unidentified fathers to hand over female infants to the state for their care.
- Amma Canteens (Amma Unavagam) (J Jayalalithaa): Launched in 2013, these state-subsidized canteens provide low-cost, high-quality meals to the urban poor and daily wage workers.
- Pharomon Kaboom (M. Karunanidhi): A massive preventive healthcare initiative involving specialized medical camps is being conducted across the state to reach out to the rural population.
- Uzhavar Sandhai (Farmers Markets) (M Karunanidhi): It was created to allow farmers to sell their produce directly to consumers without intermediaries, ensuring better prices for both.
Khushboo Sahu is a journalist in the Internet Desk, helping with research, writing, editing and curation of digital content, while gaining experience in search engine optimization and content publishing workflow. She is currently pursuing PGDM in English Journalism from Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi. Khushboo earned her BA in German from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where she developed a strong foundation in language, culture and global perspectives. She received a scholarship to attend a language program at Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania, which gave her international exposure and the opportunity to engage with diverse cultural and academic environments across Europe. Her areas of interest include politics, international relations, public policy, and human interest stories. She is particularly interested in exploring how policies impact communities on the ground. She previously worked as a Content Writer at Karamrath and was associated with Gandhi Fellowship, where she was involved in grassroots development initiatives. She is also trained in public policy, where she has contributed to the development of research and programs in the education sector.Read more
