Dravidian parties

2021-12-08T23:50:32Z

2402:3A80:191C:75B0:7111:37B6:17D3:D5E2: /* Flags */

{{short description|Political parties in Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Dravidian politics-col}}
{{Dravidian}}
'''Dravidian parties''' include an array of [[List of recognised political parties in India#State|regional political parties]] in the [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[Tamil Nadu]], India, which trace their origins and ideologies either directly or indirectly to the [[Justice Party (India)|Justice party]] and the [[Self-Respect Movement|Dravidian movement]] of [[C. Natesa Mudaliar|C. Natesanar]] and [[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy]].<ref name=Cho>{{cite news
| last = Ramaswamy
| first = Cho
| title = E.V. Ramaswami Naicker and C.N. Annadurai
| work = India Today
| url = http://www.india-today.com/itoday/millennium/100people/durai.html
| access-date = 2008-04-19
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081024183112/http://www.india-today.com/itoday/millennium/100people/durai.html
| archive-date = 24 October 2008
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref name=frontline3>{{cite news
|last=Viswanathan
|first=S
|title=A history of agitational politics
|publisher=Frontline, The Hindu publishing
|date=10–23 April 2004
|url=http://www.flonnet.com/fl2108/stories/20040423007201600.htm
|access-date=2008-04-19
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302175523/http://www.flonnet.com/fl2108/stories/20040423007201600.htm
|archive-date=2 March 2008
}}</ref>
The Dravidian movement was based on the linguistic divide in India,<ref>
{{cite news
| last = Omvedt
| first = Gail
| title = The Dravidian movement
| publisher = Ambedkar.org
| url = http://www.ambedkar.org/gail/Dravidianmovement.htm
| access-date = 2008-04-19}}
</ref><ref name=rediff1>{{cite news
| last = Warrier
| first = Shobha
| title = Karunanidhi's ode to Ravana has political significance
| publisher = Rediff News
| url = http://www.indiaabroad.com/news/1998/oct/29ravan.htm
| access-date = 2008-07-16
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080530210713/http://www.indiaabroad.com/news/1998/oct/29ravan.htm
| archive-date = 30 May 2008
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
where most of the [[North India|Northern Indian]], [[East India|Eastern Indian]] and [[West India|Western Indian]] languages are classified as [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]], whereas the [[South Indian]] languages are classified as [[Dravidian languages|Dravidian]].<ref>
{{cite web
|title=Dravidian Language Family
|publisher=University of Pennsylvania
|url=http://www.nvtc.gov/lotw/months/april/DravidianLanguageFamily.htm
|access-date=2008-04-19
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409180023/http://www.nvtc.gov/lotw/months/april/DravidianLanguageFamily.htm
|archive-date=9 April 2008
|url-status=dead
}}
</ref>
Dravidian politics has developed by associating itself to the [[Dravidian people|Dravidian community]]. The original goal of Dravidian politics was to achieve social equality,<ref>{{cite book|title=Political Theory and Political Thought |first1= N.D. |last1=Arora |first2=S.S. |last2=Awasthy|isbn=978-81-241-1164-2|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=szBpnYfmH0cC&pg=PA425 |year=2007 |publisher=Har-Anand Publications |location=New Delhi}}</ref> but it later championed the cause of ending the domination of North India over the politics and economy of the South Indian province known as [[Madras Presidency]].

Most Dravidian parties are offshoots of [[Dravidar Kazhagam]] (DK).<ref name=Cho/> There are also a few other parties in Tamil Nadu that did not arise from DK directly. Nevertheless, both the former and the latter are considered as Dravidian parties because of the similarities of their ideals and goals.<ref name=frontline1/><ref name=jayanth>{{cite news
| last = Jayanth
| first = V
| title = Vijaykanth ready for political innings
| work = The Hindu
| date = 16 March 2005
| url = http://www.hinduonnet.com/2005/03/16/stories/2005031608530400.htm
| access-date = 2008-02-19
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080303222811/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2005/03/16/stories/2005031608530400.htm
| archive-date = 3 March 2008
| url-status = usurped
}}</ref>
[[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (DMK) and its political rival [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (AIADMK) have been the major players among the Dravidian parties since the mid-1960s.<ref name=Wyatt>
{{cite journal
| last = Wyatt
| first = AKJ
| title = New Alignments in South Indian Politics: The 2001 Assembly Elections in Tamil Nadu
| journal = Asian Survey
| volume = 42
| issue = 5
| pages = 733–753
| date = September–October 2002
| doi = 10.1525/as.2002.42.5.733| hdl = 1983/1811
| url = https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/ws/files/3022152/asian%20survey%20article.pdf
| hdl-access = free
}}
</ref>
Since the [[1967 Tamil Nadu state assembly election|1967 legislative assembly]] elections, only the DMK and the AIADMK have formed governments in Tamil Nadu. These two parties are political rivals.<ref name=Venkat>
{{cite news
| last = Venkatasubramanian
| first = V
| title = DMK-AIADMK direct fight in Uthiramerur, Alandur
| work = The Hindu
| date = 17 April 2006
}}
</ref>
Barring [[electoral alliance|political alliances]] with the DMK or AIADMK, since the 1990s no other political party has won more than a few seats in the Indian parliament or state legislative assembly of Tamil Nadu. Since 1996, members of the DMK and AIADMK have held portfolios in the [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] of the [[Central government of India|central Indian government]].<ref name=Murasoli/><ref name=murmaran/><ref name=vajpayee/><ref name=BBC/> Another Dravidian party is [[Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]].

[[Political media]] is pervasive in Dravidian politics, with five of the seven chief ministers from these parties being directly involved in [[Tamil cinema]], either as script writers or actors. Recently [[television channels]] owned by these parties have been used for political propaganda purposes.<ref name=tvwar>
{{cite news
| last = Sivapriyan
| first = ETB
| title = When TV became the new political battlefield
| publisher = Rediff News
| date = 6 March 2008
| url = http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/mar/06channel.htm
| access-date = 2008-02-19}}
</ref>

==Rise of Dravidian politics==

===Background===
Most of the Indian population are classified as [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Aryans]] and [[Dravidians]].<ref name=hg1>{{cite journal|last=Hardgrave |first=Robert |journal=Journal of Democracy |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=54–68 |year=1993 |url=http://asnic.utexas.edu/asnic/countries/india/Hardgrave.html |access-date=2008-11-16 |doi=10.1353/jod.1993.0052 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517082845/http://asnic.utexas.edu/asnic/countries/india/Hardgrave.html |archive-date=17 May 2008 |title=India: The Dilemmas of Diversity |s2cid=154848818 }}</ref> Based on [[language families]].<ref name=hg1/> Most northern Indian languages are classified as [[Indo-Aryan languages|Aryan]], whereas most southern Indian languages are [[Dravidian languages]]. The term Aryan as a race was first propounded by the German employee of East India Company, Fredrich Maxmillan Muller aka Max Muller who in 1853 proposed that a group of people called Aryans had invaded India in 1500 BC. This theory was actively supported by the British colonialists of the period led by Thomas Macaulay who stated that there was a need to develop a breed of Indian "who would be Indian by blood and colour but Western by morals and intellect". [[Sanskrit]], a [[classical language]] of the Aryan group, was considered to be a sacred language, whereas in the former [[British India]]n state of [[Madras Presidency]], it was a commonly held opinion in that the Dravidian tongues were inferior.<ref name=epw>
{{cite journal
| last = Pinto
| first = Ambrose
| title = End of Dravidian Era in Tamil Nadu
| journal = Economic and Political Weekly
| pages = 1483–1490
| year = 1999
| volume = 34
| issue = 24
| jstor = 4408067}}</ref> The linguistic divide was even more pronounced given the political dominance of [[Brahmins]] in South India.<ref name=hardriots/>
The Brahmins, who occupied the highest strata in the [[Indian caste system]], accounted for 3% of the population in Madras Presidency, but held 60 to 79% of the positions in major government departments in the early 20th century.<ref name=Votes1>
{{cite conference
| first = Steven I
| last = Wilkinson
| title = Caste mobilization in Pre-independence Madras
| book-title = Votes and Violence: Electoral Competition and Ethnic Riots in India
| pages = 189–192
| publisher = Cambridge University Press
| year = 2006
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tLpRFbLSxvAC&pg=PA189
| isbn =0-521-53605-7
| access-date = 2008-12-16}}
</ref> It was observed by some non-Brahmin leaders from the south that Brahmins were Aryans, and hence non-natives, who had taken positions in the government that should rightfully be filled by people indigenous to the area.<ref name=hardriots>
{{cite journal
| last = Hardgrave
| first = Robert
| title = The Riots in Tamilnad: Problems and Prospects of India's Language Crisis
| journal = Asian Survey
| volume = 5
| issue = 8
| pages = 399–407
| year = 1965
| doi = 10.1525/as.1965.5.8.01p0095g}}</ref>
The antipathy towards Sanskrit compounded with the animosity against the hegemony of Brahimins paved the way for the rise of Dravidian politics in Madras Presidency.<ref name=hardriots/>

===Early Dravidian politics===
[[File:Theagaroya Chetty.jpg|thumb|right|[[Sir P. Theagaroya Chetty]] was one of the founders of Justice Party in 1916.]]
An early pioneer in Dravidian politics was [[Iyothee Thass]] in the late 19th century. His efforts brought together the lower caste Dravidians with the establishment of the ''Dravida Mahajana Sabha'' organisation in 1891.<ref name="politics_of_naming">{{cite news | last= Ravikumar| title= Iyothee Thass and the Politics of Naming | date=28 September 2005 | url =http://www.countercurrents.org/dalit-ravikumar280905.htm | work = The Sunday Pioneer | access-date = 2008-09-09}}</ref> A major leap in Dravidian politics was the formation of the ''Madras United League'' by non-Brahmin intellectuals, who considered the dominance of Brahmins in civil administration a threat to the non-Brahmin majority.<ref name=EPP>{{cite book
| last = Ralhan
| first = O.P.
| title = Encyclopaedia of Political Parties
| publisher = Anmol Publications
| year = 2002
| pages = 125–128
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=P4lCjG1DUV4C&q=Madras+Dravidian+Association&pg=PA423
| isbn = 978-81-7488-865-5}}</ref>
The League was initially started as a workgroup that helped non-Brahmin students in [[Madras]] with accommodation by Dr C. Natesan. It later grew into a [[political party]] under the efforts of leaders like [[C. Natesa Mudaliar|C Natesa Mudaliar]], [[Sir Pitti Theagaroya Chetty]] and [[Dr. T. M. Nair]]. The party was named ''South Indian Liberal Federation (S. I. L. F.)'' – popularly known as the [[Justice party (India)|Justice party]].<ref name=EPP/>

===Justice Party era===
{{main|Justice Party (India)}}
A limited form of self governance was introduced in [[British Raj#World War I and its aftermath|British India]] after [[World War I]].<ref name=Votes1/> While the Justice Party saw this as an opportunity to displace Brahmin dominance, the British government considered it favourable, since the [[Indian National Congress]] spearheading the [[Indian independence movement]] was dominated by Brahmins.<ref name=Votes1/> The Justice party emerged as a winner in the 1920 general elections and brought about the reforms it had campaigned for,<ref name=Votes1/> including establishing [[Reservation in India|communal reservation]] through [[affirmative action]] for the first time in the country, and brought [[Hindu temple|temples]] under state control.<ref name=frontline3/> Soon after their electoral success the animosity between [[Tamil people|Tamil]] and [[Telugu people|Telugu]] members deepened, thus weakening the party.<ref name=Votes1/> Nevertheless, the Justice Party electorally dominated the presidency for 17 years until it was defeated by the Indian National Congress party in 1937.<ref name=frontline3/> Although out of power, the Justice Party was involved in demonstrations across the Province against the introduction of [[Hindi language|Hindi]] as a compulsory subject of study in schools by a [[Indian National Congress|Congress]]-led government, which led to the detainment of scores of Tamil scholars, academics and Justice Party leaders.<ref name=frontline3/> This and other struggles for social justice helped create the social base of what emerged as the Dravidian Movement.<ref name=frontline2/>

===Dravidar Kazhagam===
{{main|Dravidar Kazhagam}}
{{see also|Periyar E. V. Ramasamy}}
The next few years saw a decline in the Justice Party's popularity. In 1938, the by then badly weakened party sought the leadership of [[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy]], a leader of the Dravidian Movement, who became its president. In 1944, Periyar changed the name of the party to Dravidar Kazhagam ("Dravidian Organisation" in English).<ref name=Dickey/> This move was opposed by some members of the Party who continued contesting elections as the Justice Party under the leadership of [[P. T. Rajan]] until 1957. Periyar as the president of Dravidiar Kazhagam considered that contesting in elections would lead to compromises in principles and withdrew Dravida Kazhagam from parliamentary politics.<ref name=Dickey/>

==Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam==

===Birth of DMK===

{{main|Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam}}
In 1947, when India attained independence, Periyar called for members of the Dravidar Kazhagam to boycott the celebrations.<ref name=Swarna>
{{cite book
| last = Rajagopalan
| first = Swarna
| title = State and Nation in South Asia
| publisher = Lynne Rienner Publishers
| year = 2001
| pages = 152–154
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=q7Yz5aGeoTsC&pg=PA152
| isbn = 978-1-55587-967-9}}
</ref> According to him, the Indian National Congress was dominated by Brahmins.<ref name=Swarna/> He predicted that an independent India would bring South Indians, especially Tamils, under the dominance of Brahmins and North Indians.<ref name=Swarna/> In other words, according to Periyar, independence would lead to the replacement of British dominance with Brahmin and North Indian dominance. He felt an independent nation called [[Dravida Nadu]] for the South Indians would be the best solution.<ref name=Swarna/> Periyar declared 15 August 1947, the day of [[Partition of India|Indian independence]], as a day of mourning.<ref name=Swarna/> This move was opposed by other leaders within the party, including [[C. N. Annadurai]].<ref name=Cho/> Annadurai viewed independence as an achievement for all of India rather than solely of the North.<ref name=encyc>{{cite book
| last = Rajwat
| first = Mamta
| title = Encyclopaedia of Dalits in India
| publisher = Anmol Publications PVT. LTD
| year = 2004
| pages = 246–247
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ocjlRwK1y5cC&pg=PA246
| isbn = 978-81-261-2084-0}}</ref>
On 9 July 1948 Periyar married woman 40 years his junior, leading to a split in the party.<ref name=Cho/><ref name=periyar>
{{cite web
|title=Periyar's Movement
|publisher=Counter Currents
|url=http://www.countercurrents.org/dalit-periyar280603.htm
|access-date=2008-02-19
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217005411/http://www.countercurrents.org/dalit-periyar280603.htm
|archive-date=17 February 2008
|url-status=dead
}}
</ref>
The leaders of the splitting faction eventually formed a new party, [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] or DMK ('''Progressive Dravidian Organisation''' in English), in 1949.<ref name=halfcent>
{{cite news
| last = Subramanian
| first = RS
| title = Celebrating a half century
| publisher = Frontline, The Hindu Publishing
| date = 26 September – 9 October 1998
| url = http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl1520/15201330.htm
| access-date = 2008-02-19}}
</ref>

===Independent Dravida Nadu===
{{see also|Dravida Nadu}}
Although initially both DK and DMK sought an independent Dravida Nadu, DK later moved on to work on bringing social changes whereas DMK leaders such as [[C. N. Annadurai]] and [[E. V. K. Sampath]] endeavoured to achieve their goals through parliamentary election processes.<ref name=Swarna/><ref name=Hardgrave1/>
Sampath, who had earlier forfeited his seniority with Periyar's party to join DMK, saw the call for an independent Dravida Nadu was turning out to be an unrealistic goal.<ref name=Urmila>{{cite book
| last = Phadnis
| first = Urmila
|author2=Rajat Ganguly
| title = Ethnicity and Nation-building in South Asia
| publisher = SAGE
| year = 2001
| pages = 227
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=wbf2wzyuWkUC&pg=PA227
| isbn = 978-0-7619-9439-8}}
</ref>
Sampath expressed concerns over using film stars to increase the popularity of the party.<ref name=Urmila/> His views led him to cross swords with the major leaders of the party and eventually caused the first split in DMK. Sampath left DMK to begin his own party<ref name=Urmila/> called the [[Tamil National Party]].<ref>{{cite book
| last = Hardgrave
| first = Robert. L
| title = Essays in the Political Sociology of South India
| publisher = Usha, 1979 (Originally published by [[University of Michigan]]
| year = 1979
| pages = 70
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=a6IsAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA70
| isbn = 978-81-7304-052-8}}</ref>
Although leaders like Annadurai were firm in their separatist stance, the [[States Reorganisation Act|reorganisation of states in India]] on a linguistic basis removed [[Kannada]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]] and [[Malayalam]] speaking regions from Madras Presidency, leaving behind a predominantly Tamil [[Madras State]].<ref name=Jeanie>{{cite book
| last = Bukowski
| first = Jeanie J
|author2=Swarna Rajagopalan
| title = Re-distribution of Authority
| publisher = Greenwood Publishing Group
| year = 2000
| pages = 19–21
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=mgK1Fltsh4cC&pg=PA19
| isbn = 978-0-275-96377-4}}
</ref> Giving in to political realities, Annadurai and his DMK changed their call for an independent ''Dravida Nadu for Dravidians'' to an independent ''Tamil Nadu for Tamils''.<ref name=Jeanie/> Annadurai saw that remaining in union with India meant accepting linguistic domination and economic backwardness.<ref name=Jeanie/> However, the [[Sino-Indian war]] brought about changes in the [[Indian constitution]].<ref name=1963I/> The Sixteenth Amendment (also known as the ''Anti-Secessionist Amendment''<ref name=1963I>
{{cite journal
| last = Fisher
| first = Margaret W
| title = India in 1963: A Year of Travail
| journal = Asian Survey
| volume = 4
| issue = 3
| pages = 737–745
| year = 1964
| doi = 10.1525/as.1964.4.3.01p16983
| jstor = 3023561}}
</ref>) banned any party with sectarian principles from contesting elections.<ref name=Jeanie/> Consequently, DMK preferred to keep the issue of Dravida Nadu on the backburner.<ref name=frontline3/>
From then on DMK's main focus targeted the dominance of North Indians in the [[Union Government of India]].<ref name=frontline3/>

===DMK government===
{{main|Rise of Dravidian parties to power in Tamil Nadu}}

After dropping the demand for an independent Dravida Nadu, DMK changed its focus to the problems arising out of the disparity between North and South India.<ref name=frontline3/> The DMK considered that the south was neglected by delays in sanctioning development projects and allotment of funds.<ref name=frontline3/> Thus the Congress-led Central government became its major target for calls for reform.<ref name=Swarna/> Immediately after Indian independence the Congress Party was popular throughout India and thus formed the government in many states including Madras Presidency.<ref name=Swarna/> Even so, the Congress Party failed to obtain an absolute majority in the presidency in the state's first election.<ref name=frontline1>
{{cite news
| last = Viswanathan
| first = S
| title = Dravidian power
| publisher = Frontline
| date = 10–23 April 2004
| url = http://www.frontline.in/fl2108/stories/20040423007701500.htm
| access-date = 2008-02-19}}
</ref> By the 1960s the popularity of the Congress party was in a steady decline.<ref name=postnehru>
{{cite journal
| last = Kochanek
| first = Stanley
| title = Post Nehru India: The Emergence of the New Leadership
| journal = Asian Survey
| volume = 6
| issue = 5
| pages = 288–299
| year = 1966
| doi = 10.1525/as.1966.6.5.01p0171t
| jstor = 2642538}}</ref>

DMK leaders also perceived that the attempts to declare Hindi as the sole national language of India was an attempt impose an Aryan language unwilling people in the South.<ref name=frontline3/> According to the terms of the Indian constitution dated 26 January 1965, English as an [[official language of India]] would come to an end and Hindi would become the sole official language. However, the Madras [[Anti-Hindi agitations|Anti-Hindi agitation]] in 1965 compelled the Central Government in India change its language policy, allowing English to continue as an official language.<ref>
{{cite journal
| last = Forrester
| first = DB
| title = The Madras Anti-Hindi Agitation, 1965: Political Protest and its Effects on Language Policy in India
| journal = Pacific Affairs
| volume = 39
| issue = 1/2
| pages = 19–36
| year = 1966
| doi = 10.2307/2755179
| jstor = 2755179}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite news
|title=Tongue tied
|work=India Today
|date=20 December 2007
|url=http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/tongue-tied-5.html
|access-date=2008-04-21
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226020518/http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/tongue-tied-5.html
|archive-date=26 February 2008
|url-status=dead
}}
</ref>
Although DMK was not directly involved in the violence that marred the agitation,<ref name=hardriots/> the protest itself catapulted DMK to political power in the State in the [[1967 Madras State legislative assembly election|1967 legislative elections]].<ref name=frontline3/> Annadurai became the first non-Congress Chief Minister of the post-1950 Madras state as a result.

The electoral victory in 1967 led to an [[electoral fusion]] among the non-Congress parties to avoid a split in the [[Opposition (parliamentary)|Opposition]] votes. [[Rajaji|Rajagopalachari]], a former senior leader of the Congress Party, had by then left the Congress and launched the right-wing [[Swatantra Party]]. He played a vital role in bringing about the electoral fusion amongst the opposition parties to align against the Congress.<ref name=frontline1/>

==Split in DMK and birth of AIADMK==

===MGR and the split from DMK===
{{main|M. G. Ramachandran|All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam}}
M. G. Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR, was an [[actor]] in [[Tamil Cinema Industry|Tamil cinema]] and a well known propagator of Dravidian ideologies in his movies since 1953. In the 1970s as the then [[treasurer]] of DMK, he played a vital part in popularising the party, bringing many of his fans as supporters.

A political feud between MGR and the party's president [[M. Karunanidhi]] had been ongoing since the death of Annadurai in 1969. It arose from Karunanidhi calling himself the "[[Sheikh Mujibur Rahman|Mujib]] of Tamil Nadu".<ref name=Dickey/><ref name=Hardgrave/> Soon after the electoral victory of DMK in 1971, some of senior members expressed concern that MGR's popularity was growing strong within the party cadres.

Karunanidhi made several attempts to weaken MGR's position within the party. MGR retaliated with corruption charges<ref name=Dickey/> and a call for a boycott of the party's General Council.<ref name=Prasad>
{{cite journal
| last = Prasad
| first = Madiraju Madhava
| title = From Virtual to Real Political Power: Film Stars Enter Electoral Politics
| journal = Asia Research Institute ● Singapore
| volume = ARI working paper #59
| publisher = National University of Singapore
|date=March 2006}}
</ref>
DMK's General Council suspended MGR from the party stating that he had involved himself in "anti party activities".<ref name=Hardgrave/><ref name=Prasad/> Although MGR had lost support from top-ranking leaders within the DMK, the strong public reaction following his suspension demonstrated his popular support within the party's volunteers.<ref name=Prasad/> Inspired by this support from the party's lower cadres and his fans,<ref name=Prasad/> MGR launched his own party, [[Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (AIADMK, Anna DMK named after Annadurai: Anna was his nickname).<ref name=Dickey/><ref name=Hardgrave>
{{cite journal
| last = Hardgrave
| first = Robert L, Jr
| title = Politics and the Film in Tamilnadu: The Stars and the DMK
| journal = Asian Survey
| volume = 13
| issue = 3
| pages = 288–305
| jstor = 2643038
| date = March 1973
| doi = 10.2307/2643038| hdl = 2152/34387
| hdl-access = free
}}
</ref>

===AIADMK government===
MGR presented his new party to [[Indira Gandhi]] as the regional equivalent of her [[Congress (I)]] Party.<ref name=frontline1/> Indira Gandhi was the head of her party, which she split from the [[Indian National Congress]] with the support of lower cadres and opposition from senior party leaders.<ref name=Congress>
{{cite journal
| last = Hardgrave
| first = Robert L, Jr
| title = The Congress in India – Crisis and Split
| journal = Asian Survey
| volume = 10
| issue = 3
| pages = 256–262
| jstor = 2642578
|date=March 1970
| doi = 10.2307/2642578| hdl = 2152/34540
| url = https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/bitstream/2152/34540/1/congressinindia.pdf
| hdl-access = free
}}
</ref>
Thus AIADMK could show itself as an equally strong alternative to that of DMK with which Congress (I) could ally. From then on, the Congress (I) Party fought elections in the State in alliance with one of the two parties. Ever since then the Dravidian parties have helped the Congress (I) sustain itself in the State, but with limited ambitions.<ref name=frontline1/>

In 1977, the DMK government, led by Karunanidhi, was dismissed under corruption charges by the Central government of India, led by Congress (I), which had by then allied with AIADMK.<ref name=Murasoli/>

==Further divisions==

===Further offshoots of DMK===
{{see also|Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani}}
[[Sivaji Ganesan]], a veteran actor of [[Tamil Cinema]], was a founding member of DMK party.<ref name=Hardgrave/> The actor himself was nicknamed Sivaji by Periyar E. V. Ramasami after his role portraying the [[Maratha]] king.<ref name=lode>{{cite news
| last = Viswanathan
| first = S
| title = Tamil cinema's lodestar
| publisher = Frontline
| date = 17 August 2001
| url = http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1816/18161140.htm
| access-date = 22 January 2010
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20021124144532/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1816/18161140.htm
| archive-date = 24 November 2002
| url-status = usurped
}}</ref> Nevertheless, differences between the party leadership and the actor widened since he perceived that M. G. Ramachandran, his acting contemporary, was given more prominence than himself.<ref name=Hardgrave/> Furthermore, he started distancing himself from the party's anti-religious atheistic stance to satisfy his religious fans.<ref name=Hardgrave/> Hence when E. V. K. Sampath launched his own splinter from DMK (in the name of Tamil National Party), Sivaji left DMK and joined Sampath.<ref name=Hardgrave1/> However, Tamil National Party itself was short-lived and was merged into Congress.<ref>{{cite web
| title = Sivaji Ganesan
| date = 22 July 2001
| publisher = Upperstall
| url = http://www.upperstall.com/people/sivaji-ganesan
| access-date = 2009-01-21}}</ref> Sivaji, although a member of Congress party, maintained distance from the party activities and concentrated more on his film career.<ref name=Hardgrave/> After the death of M. G. Ramachandran in 1987, Sivaji re-launched his political career with his own party Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani ("Tamil Nadu Development Front" in English).<ref>{{cite news
| last = Subramaniamn
| first = TS
| title = Celluloid connections
| publisher = Frontline
| date = 30 July 2004
| url = http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2115/stories/20040730003803600.htm
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060705002207/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2115/stories/20040730003803600.htm
| url-status = usurped
| archive-date = 5 July 2006
| access-date = 2009-01-21}}
</ref> The party lost every single seat it contested for in [[1989 Tamil Nadu legislative assembly election|the 1989 elections]]. Sivaji dissolved the party, asked his party cadres to join the [[Janata Dal]]<ref>{{cite news
| last = Ramachandran
| first = K
| title = He strode Kollywood like a colossus
| date = 22 July 2001
| url = http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2001/07/22/stories/0222000f.htm
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030704115342/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2001/07/22/stories/0222000f.htm
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 4 July 2003
| work = [[The Hindu]]
| access-date = 2009-01-21}}
</ref> and openly regretted his decision to have ever launched his own party.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Kantha
| first = Sachi Sri
| title = Book Review: Autobiography of Actor-Politician Sivaji Ganesan
| publisher = Sangam
| date = 9 November 2008
| url = http://www.sangam.org/2008/11/Sivaji_Ganesan.php?uid=3155&print=true
| access-date = 2009-01-21}}
</ref>

The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ("Progressive Dravidian Renaissance Organisation" in English, or MDMK) is yet another offshoot of the DMK. It was formed in May 1994, after [[V. Gopalswamy]] (popularly known as Vaiko), a senior leader and [[Member of Parliament]] from DMK, was expelled from the party.<ref name=frontline3/> Barring, perhaps, their more radical support for an independent [[Tamil Eelam]] in the [[Sri Lankan civil war|Sri Lankan crisis]],<ref>
{{cite journal
| last = Mayilvaganan
| first = M
| title = The Re-emergence of the Tamil Nadu Factor in India's Sri Lanka Policy
| journal = Strategic Analysis
| volume = 31
| issue = 6
| pages = 943–964
| year = 2007
| doi = 10.1080/09700160701740504| s2cid = 154485740
}}</ref>
the MDMK do not have major ideological differences with the other Dravidian parties. MDMK shares its goals with the DMK and AIADMK in respect to State [[autonomy]], constitutional protection for the [[Reservation in India|reservation]] formula and making Tamil an official language of the Indian Union.<ref name=frontline3/> In 2004, Tamil film director and actor [[T. Rajendar]] who was earlier expelled from DMK launched the [[All India Latchiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] ("All India Principled Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam" in English).<ref>{{cite news
| title = Tamil film artiste launches new party
| publisher = Sify News
| date = 26 April 2004
| url = http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=13462493
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20041226234943/http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=13462493
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 26 December 2004
| access-date = 2008-12-01}}
</ref>

===Offshoots of AIADMK===
Soon after MGR's death in 1987, his wife [[Janaki Ramachandran]] took over as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.<ref name=Janaki1>
{{cite news
| title = Cashing in on kinship
| work = The Hindu
| date = 15 February 2004
| url = http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/02/15/stories/2004021500141500.htm
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061214070259/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/02/15/stories/2004021500141500.htm
| url-status = usurped
| archive-date = 14 December 2006
| access-date = 2008-02-19}}
</ref>
This appointment was opposed by former actress and politician [[J. Jayalalithaa]].<ref name=Janaki1/> The resistance from Jayalalithaa eventually led to the dismissal of the AIADMK government, the shortest lived government in the history of Tamil Nadu, by the Central Government of India then led by [[Rajiv Gandhi]]. The antagonism built up and the AIADMK split into two fragments.<ref name=Dickey/>

The [[Election Commission of India]] refused to accept either of them as the successor of the original party and [[List of political party symbols in India|separate electoral symbols]] were allocated.<ref name=iconic>
{{cite web
|title=Iconic change
|work=India Today
|url=http://www.indiatoday.com/webexclusive/dispatch/20021209/web2.html
|access-date=2008-02-19
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209175730/http://www.indiatoday.com/webexclusive/dispatch/20021209/web2.html
|archive-date=9 February 2008
|url-status=dead
}}
</ref>
The faction led by MGR's widow chose to use ''two doves'', with a large dove holding leafy branch in its beak, as if feeding the smaller dove. Jayalalithaa's faction was represented by a ''crowing cock''.<ref>
{{cite web
|last=Miller
|first=Eric
|title=Tamil Nadu's Silappathikaram Epic of the Ankle Bracelet: Ancient Story and Modern Identity
|url=http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/storytelling/silappathikaram_essay.html
|access-date=2008-05-04
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314150457/http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/storytelling/silappathikaram_essay.html
|archive-date=14 March 2008
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>
Although both factions lost the 1989 state elections, Jayalalithaa's AIADMK won 27 seats when compared to just one won by Janaki's.<ref name=Divided>
{{cite book
| last = Thakurta
| first = Paranjoy Guha
|author2=Shankar Raghuraman
| title = A Time of Coalitions
| publisher = SAGE
| year = 2004
| pages = 235–236
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=pjzyK_gEBcwC
| isbn = 978-0-7619-3237-6}}
</ref> Following the election defeat, Janaki retired from active politics and the two party factions rejoined into one party.<ref name=Janaki1/><ref name=iconic/>

Other breakaways in AIADMK were witnessed in 1990s, when [[R. M. Veerappan]] and [[S. Tirunavukkarasu]], due to personal differences with Jayalalithaa, formed [[MGR Kazhagam]] (MGR's Organisation) and [[MGR Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|MGR ADMK]] (MGR's and Anna's DMK) respectively.<ref name=Trouble>
{{cite news
| last = Subbramanian
| first = TS
| title = Trouble in the AIADMK
| publisher = Frontline, The Hindu publishing
| date = 29 April – 12 May 2000
| url = http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl1709/17090380.htm
| access-date = 2008-02-19}}
</ref>

==Dravidian parties in central government==
Although the DMK and the AIADMK started playing a minimal role in the decision-making process in the [[Government of India|Central government]] in the late 1960s, their actual participation in [[coalition government]]s came only in 1979, when two AIADMK Members of Parliament, [[Sathyavani Muthu]] and [[Aravinda Bala Pajanor]], joined the short-lived [[Charan Singh]] Ministry, which followed the [[Morarji Desai]]-led [[Janata Party]] government (1977–79). The DMK's [[Murasoli Maran]] joined the [[V. P. Singh]] Ministry in 1989. The DMK shared power with the subsequent [[United Front (India)|United Front]] governments led by [[H. D. Deve Gowda]] and [[I. K. Gujral]]. In the [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] Ministry (1998–99), three parties from Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK, the [[Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (MDMK) were represented. In the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Ministry, headed by Vajpayee (1999–2004), the DMK, the MDMK and the PMK all had representatives. In fact, it was in this Ministry that Tamil Nadu had the largest representation. At one stage there were 10 Ministers from Tamil Nadu, seven of them from the Dravidian parties. In the Vajpayee Ministry (1998–99), the AIADMK's presence lasted only a few months.<ref name=frontline1/> The [[Manmohan Singh]]-led central government included cabinet members from DMK.<ref name=murmaran>
{{cite news
| title = Manmohan Singh, 67 ministers sworn in
| publisher = Rediff News
| date = 22 May 2004
| url = http://in.rediff.com/election/2004/may/22man.htm
| access-date = 2008-02-19}}
</ref>

==Ideology==

===Dravidianism and Tamilism===
The principal ideals and goals of Dravidian parties at their incipience, which were borrowed from Dravidar Kazhagam, were social reforms such as ending religious beliefs, ending [[caste]] distinction,<ref name=sarah/> empowerment of women, ending Brahmin dominance<ref name=Dickey/><ref name=sarah/> in Tamil Nadu educational institutions and government, ending northern domination of the politics and economy of Tamil Nadu, opposition to Hindi as India's official language, and independence for Dravida Nadu from India.<ref name=Atul/> The call for Dravida Nadu in the initial days during the [[British Raj]] meant a "Dravidian state under the British Raj".<ref name=Atul>
{{cite book
| last = Kohli
| first = Atul
| title = The Success of India's Democracy
| publisher = Cambridge University Press
| year = 2001
| pages = 87–88
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Io0NsnlRT6sC&q=Dravidian+parties&pg=PA78
| isbn = 978-0-521-80530-8}}
</ref>
Although Annadurai defended his party's demand for Dravida Nadu in his maiden speech in the [[Rajya Sabha]] in 1962 and recorded his protest against a ban on demanding separation, a year later the demand had to be abandoned following the [[Sino-Indian War]].<ref name=frontline3/> This paradigm shift is often attributed to the ''Sixteenth Amendment to the [[Indian Constitution]]'' or ''Anti-sectionist'' amendment, as it is usually called.<ref name=Hardgrave1/> In the 1960s, the formation of Tamil Nadu as a Tamil language state carved out of the erstwhile Madras Presidency fulfilled the goal of an encompassing Dravidian state.<ref name=Dickey/>

Since then, state [[autonomy]] and social justice through [[reservation in India|reservation]] for the underprivileged in education and employment have been the main political planks of the DMK.<ref name=frontline3/>

The Dravidian political ideology has evolved through the years and is now varied between parties.

Starting from an initial atheistic inclination with the strict [[Anti-Brahminism|anti-Brahmin]] outlook of the DK, the DMK moved on to a strong ethnic identity – initially that of "the Dravidian" and later of "the Tamilian" or "the common Tamil man".<ref name=frontline2>
{{cite news
| last = Harris
| first = John
| title = Successful populism
| publisher = Oxford University Press
| date = 4–17 March 2000
}}
</ref>
In fact it is considered that Dravidian politics developed into an inclusive [[Tamil nationalism]] since it associated the [[Dravidian people|Dravidian community]] with the non-[[Sanskrit]]ic Tamil language and cultural tradition.<ref name=Hasan>{{cite news
| last = Hasan
| first = Zoya
| title = The democratisation of politics
| work = The Hindu
| date = 2 February 2003
| url = http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/lr/2003/02/02/stories/2003020200180300.htm
| access-date = 2008-04-19
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080307083023/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/lr/2003/02/02/stories/2003020200180300.htm
| archive-date = 7 March 2008
| url-status = usurped
}}</ref>

The AIADMK however, never adopted the anti-Brahminism of the DK and DMK and did not have a strict ideology. After MGR's death, the dispute over whom should head the AIADMK was led by Janaki and Jayalalithaa, who were both Brahmins. The latter headed the AIADMK and served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for multiple terms. The party's position on issues such as reservation, Hindi, federalism, Sri Lankan Tamils etc. is common with that of the other Dravidian parties.

===Leftist inclination===
The Self-respect movement, which is at the root of Dravidian politics, was initially forged in the mid-1920s in emulation and in critique of the [[Mohandas K. Gandhi|Gandhian]] Congress Party, but by the 1930s it was heavily influenced by [[Leninist]] [[socialism]], [[atheism]] and [[Bertrand Russell]]'s inspired rationalism.<ref name=sarah>
{{cite journal
| last = Hodges
| first = Sarah
| title = Revolutionary family life and the Self Respect movement in Tamil south India
| journal = Contributions to Indian Sociology
| volume = 39
| issue = 2
| pages = 251–277
| year = 2005
| doi = 10.1177/006996670503900203| s2cid = 144419547
}}
</ref>
C. N. Annadurai, the first Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from the Dravidian parties, declared that the DMK (and hence its offshoots) are "genuinely [[communist]] by principle".<ref name=Hardgrave1>
{{cite journal
| last = Hardgrave, Jr
| first = Robert L.
| title = The DMK and the Politics of Tamil Nationalism
| journal = Pacific Affairs
| volume = 37
| issue = 4
| pages = 396–411
| date = Winter 1964
| doi = 10.2307/2755132
| jstor = 2755132}}
</ref> MGR's AIADMK adopted ''Annaism'', a political philosophy which in MGR's own words, was "a proper amalgam of capitalism, socialism and communism".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tamilnation.co/forum/sachisrikantha/061120friedman.htm|title = Tamil Nation & Beyond - தமிழ் தேசியம்: ஓரு வளர்கின்ற ஒன்றிணையம்}}</ref>

==Political use of media==

Mass media have been widely used by Dravidian politicians from the early days of the parties. Initially propaganda was spread through newspapers owned by benefactors or by the organisations themselves and through public gatherings.<ref name=sarah/> One early example of media use was the magazine [[Justice (magazine)|Justice]], which carried strong non-Brahmin viewpoints, after which the [[Indian Justice Party]] was named.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Rajagopal
| first = Indhu
| title = The Tyranny of Caste
| publisher = Vikar (Original from the [[University of Michigan]])
| year = 1985
| pages = 32
| isbn = 978-0-7069-2663-7}}
</ref> A later example is [[Kudi Arasu]] (''The Republic'' in English).<ref name=sarah/> DMK had [[Murasoli (India)|Murasoli]] (''Drum Beat'' in English) as its party organ,<ref name=Murasoli>
{{cite news
| last = Subramanian
| first = TS
| title = A man of many parts
| publisher = Frontline, The Hindu publishing
| date = 6–19 December 2003
| url = http://www.frontline.in/fl2025/stories/20031219003709700.htm
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref> and AIADMK published [[Namathu Dr MGR]] (''Our Dr. MGR'' in English).<ref>
{{cite news
| title = Karu, Jaya wealthiest among TN candidates
| publisher = Sify News
| date = 23 April 2006
| url = http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14189865
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060502133710/http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14189865
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 2 May 2006
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref> [[Dinakaran]], a Tamil Daily owned by Marans, was earlier considered as an unofficial organ of DMK until the family feud within the family of Karunanidhi.<ref>
{{cite news
| last = Pinto
| first = Sanjay
| title = Crucial DMK meet underway
| publisher = NDTV news
| date = 13 May 2007
| url = http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070011830
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref>

===Tamil cinema and politics===
{{main|Tamil cinema and Dravidian politics}}
[[Tamil cinema]] first became politicized during the [[Non-cooperation movement]]. With the advent of sound in films, large numbers of theater personnel were attracted, many of whom were already active in politics.<ref name=Dickey/>
Annadurai was a writer, director, and producer of many films that were used as a means of propagation of Dravidian ideologies.<ref name=Hardgrave1/>

[[Sivaji Ganesan]] was a member of DK but later moved to DMK as one of its founding members. Nevertheless, he was expelled from the DMK following his comments on the party being a "glamour party", a reaction which is attributed to his frustration over lack of recognition.<ref name=Hardgrave1/>

M. G. Ramachandran was reputedly the most famous star of any Dravidian party.<ref name=Dickey>
{{Cite journal
| last = Sarah
| first = Dickey
| title = The Politics of Adulation: Cinema and the Production of Politicians in South India
| journal = The Journal of Asian Studies
| volume = 52
| issue = 2
| pages = 340–372
| year = 1993
| doi = 10.2307/2059651
| jstor = 2059651}}.
</ref><ref name=Hardgrave/>
Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Karunanidhi has continued be active both in film script writing and politics until recent times.<ref>
{{cite news
| title = Giants of Dravidian politics
| publisher = Rediff news
| date = April 2004
| url = http://www.rediff.com/election/2004/apr/27espec1.htm
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref>
Former Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu [[Janaki Ramachandran]] and [[J. Jayalalitha]] were both film stars who paired with MGR in many of his movies. Other stars within the Dravidian parties include [[S. S. Rajendran]] and [[K. R. Ramaswamy (actor)|K. R. Ramaswamy]].<ref name=Hardgrave1/>

===Television===
DMK initially used [[Sun TV (India)|Sun TV]] Network for its propaganda which eventually led to the birth of the alternate Tamil Channel [[Kalaignar TV]].<ref>
{{cite news
| last = Menon
| first = J
| title = DMK feud: Kalaignar TV to take on Sun TV
| publisher = The Indian Express
| date = 22 May 2007
| url = http://www.indianexpress.com/story/31476.html
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref>
Similarly, AIADMK earlier owned [[JJ TV]], which was later dissolved. It used [[Jaya TV]] until 2017.<ref>
{{cite news
| title = AIADMK's Jayalalitha:Eclipse time for Sun TV's Kalanithi Maran?
| publisher = India television
| date = 22 May 2001
| url = http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k1/may/may26.htm
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref> Currently, It uses [[News J]] for its propaganda.<ref>
{{cite news
| title = AIADMK launches TV channel ‘News J’ to take on rivals
| publisher = The Indian Express
| date = 15 November 2018
| url = https://indianexpress.com/article/india/aiadmk-launches-tv-channel-news-j-to-take-on-rivals-5447146/
| access-date = 15 November 2018}}
</ref>

==Impact==

===Regional===
One of the major impacts of the Dravidian parties is said to be the lack of or limited support to the [[Hindutva]] movement, which swept the [[Hindi belt|Hindi heartlands]] of India, in Tamil Nadu.<ref>
{{cite news
| last = Kumar
| first = Ashytosh
| title = The roots of Jayalalithaa's politics
| publisher = Tribune India
| date = 23 December 2001
| url = http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011223/spectrum/book6.htm
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref>
The announcement in 1990 by the then Prime Minister [[V.P. Singh]] that the [[Mandal Commission]]'s recommendation to extend [[Reservation in India|reservation]] in employment in the Union government to the Other Backward Classes would be implemented was "in accordance with the resolution to that effect, passed in the State Assembly" is claimed by DMK to be one of its achievements.<ref name=frontline1/>
Listing the benefits accruing to the State from sharing power at the centre, the DMK stated that "the presence of the DMK Minister (Murasoli Maran) in the National Front Cabinet and the resolution passed in the (Tamil Nadu) Assembly during the DMK regime (1996–2001) resulted in a Tribunal being appointed to adjudicate the [[Kaveri River Water Dispute]] in the case filed by the [[Thanjavur]] farmers in the Supreme Court". The success of the efforts of Prime Minister Vajpayee in persuading [[Karnataka]] to accept the Tribunal's Interim Award ensuring 205 [[Tmcft|tmc.ft.]] of [[Kaveri river|Kaveri river water]] to Tamil Nadu has been seen as one of the benefits of the DMK's presence in the BJP-led government.<ref name=frontline1/>

According to the DMK, the "creation" of 11 [[Navratna|Navaratnas]] and 97 [[Mini-Ratnas]] companies in the public sector, ([[Blue chip (stock market)|blue-chip]] companies which invest 30 per cent of their surplus funds in public sector mutual funds) "with administrative and financial autonomy", during the United Front government at the centre (1996–98) was because of the party's presence in the Cabinet.<ref name=frontline1/>

Another benefit cited by DMK is the substantial profits the State has received from foreign investments since the start of the liberalisation process. According to a party statement, of the total investment of [[Rupee|Rs]].13,150,170 millions that has flowed into the country since liberalisation began, Tamil Nadu has received 1,511,870 millions, which is 11.5 per cent of the total investment in the country.<ref name=frontline1/>

It is the DMK chief Karunanidhi who played a vital role in the then central government declaring [[Tamil language|Tamil]] a [[classical language]].<ref>
{{cite news
| title = TN Assembly adopts resolution thanking Centre for CICT
| work = The Hindu
| date = 31 January 2008
| url = http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200801311821.htm
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref>

===National===
Between 1996 and 2014, either DMK or AIADMK has been part of the central governments of India.<ref name=Murasoli/><ref name=murmaran/><ref name=vajpayee>
{{cite news
|title=The Vajpayee cabinet: All old timers minus one
|publisher=Rediff News
|date=13 October 1999
|url=http://www.rediff.com/election/1999/oct/13profc.htm
|access-date=2008-04-20
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/65tFfUkZK?url=http://www.rediff.com/election/1999/oct/13profc.htm
|archive-date=3 March 2012
}}
</ref><ref name=BBC>
{{cite news
| title = Main parties allied to the BJP
| work = BBC News
| date = 21 May 2004
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3551067.stm
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref>
The inclusion of DMK in the [[United Front (India)|United Front]] government, led by [[I. K. Gujral]], in 1997 came under crisis<ref>
{{cite news
| last = Iype
| first = G
| title = UF letter ready; Gujral authorised to send it to Kesri
| publisher = Rediff News
| date = 21 November 1997
| url = http://www.rediff.com/news/nov/21uf.htm
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref>
with the interim report of [[Jain Commission]], which was appointed to oversee the assassination of [[Rajiv Gandhi]], said that the then DMK government was responsible for abetting Rajiv Gandhi's murderers.<ref name=Indiatoday1>{{cite news
| last = Chawla
| first = P
| title = Damning the DMK
| work = India Today
| date = 17 November 1997
| url = http://www.india-today.com/itoday/17111997/cov.html
| access-date = 2008-04-20
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924034354/http://www.india-today.com/itoday/17111997/cov.html
| archive-date = 24 September 2015
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
In 2007 DMK chief Karunanidi sparked controversy with his [[M. Karunanidhi#Ram Setu remarks|remarks]] on [[Lord Rama]], causing political unrest<ref>
{{cite news
| title = Karunanidhi's effigy burnt to protest his 'Ram' remark
| publisher = Sify News
| date = 24 September 2007
| url = http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14532447
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref> and resulting in the filing of a [[First Information Report]] against him.<ref>
{{cite news|date=4 October 2007|title=Court: register FIR against Karunanidhi|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/Court-register-FIR-against-Karunanidhi/article14850584.ece|access-date=2008-04-20}}
</ref>

===International===
The Dravidian parties have played a pivotal role in the past [[Sri Lankan civil war]]. [[M. G. Ramachandran]], then AIADMK chief, is said to have donated 110 million Indian Rupees to the [[LTTE]].<ref>{{cite news
| title = MGR donated 110 M. to build up the LTTE – Balasingham
| publisher = Abooda.com
| date = February 2004
| url = http://www.abooda.com/News/Snippets020204.asp
| access-date = 2008-04-20
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071030193018/http://www.abooda.com/News/Snippets020204.asp
| archive-date = 30 October 2007
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
It was also reported by the Jain Commission that the DMK regime was aligned with the LTTE between 1989 and 1991.<ref name=Indiatoday1/>
[[S. Ramadoss]], party chief of PMK, has recently called for the Central Government of India to help work towards an "early political solution in [[Sri Lanka]]."<ref>
{{cite news
| title = Ramadoss seeks early solution to Sri Lankan problem
| date = 14 November 2007
| url = http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/14/stories/2007111458910100.htm
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071114201551/http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/14/stories/2007111458910100.htm
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 14 November 2007
| work = [[The Hindu]]
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref> In 2007 DMK, AIADMK and MDMK expressed their concerns over the arrest of [[Tamil Malaysians]] following a protest.<ref>
{{cite news
| title = Karuna joins issue with Malaysia's 'lay off' remarks
| publisher = Hindustan Times
| date = 25 February 2008
| url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/storypage.aspx?id=0e0859d4-737c-4827-8a55-7ec14d7c
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite news
| title = Release Tamils in Malaysian jails
| work = The Times of India
| date = 28 November 2007
| url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2578107.cms
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite news
| title = Protect ethnic Indians in Malaysia: Vaiko
| work = The Times of India
| date = 27 November 2007
| url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Protect_ethnic_Indians_in_Malaysia_Vaiko/articleshow/2575764.cms
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref>

==Electoral symbols of the Dravidian parties==
{{Politics of Tamil Nadu}}
<gallery>
Image:Indian_Election_Symbol_Rising_Sun.png|Electoral symbol of [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]
Image:AIADMK_Two_Leaves.png|Electoral symbol of [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]
Image:Indian_Election_Symbol_Nagara.svg|Electoral symbol of [[Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam]]
</gallery>

==Flags==
Each Dravidian party is represented by its own flag. Black and Red are the usual colours used, a feature which traces its origin to Periyar's visit to [[Axis powers|Axis countries]] and [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Soviet Russia]]. On his arrival back home, he declared that his party members would wear black shirts whenever and wherever possible "as a symbol of the present down-trodden condition of Dravidians".<ref name=Hardgrave1/> The design of the DMK flag consists of two colour rectangles, with the top half black and the bottom half red. The black color reflects the dark political, economical and social situation of Dravidians. Red is used to signify "rising sunlight" that removes the darkness. The red rises from the bottom and is expected to slowly remove all the darkness. Years later, when DMK contested elections, it would take the "rising sun" as the party symbol.<ref>
{{cite news
| title = Mr. Chiranjeevi Asks for 'Rising Sun' as the Symbol of his Proposed Party
| publisher = Ground report
| date = 12 March 2008
| url = http://www.groundreport.com/Politics/Mr-Chiranjeevi-asks-for-Rising-Sun-as-the-symbol-o
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref> AIADMK uses the black and red combination with a picture of Annadurai in white in the middle and hence it is sometimes characterised as being a tricoloured flag: black and red with white in the middle.<ref name=flag>
{{cite news
| last = Nadar
| first = G
| title = No one will kill each other for polls
| publisher = Rediff News
| date = 21 April 2006
| url = http://inhome.rediff.com/cms/print.jsp?docpath=election/2006/apr/21ptn1.htm
| access-date = 2008-04-20}}
</ref> The MDMK flag consists of two red stripes with a black stripe in the center.<ref name=flag/>
<gallery>
Image:Flag DK.png|Flag of DK
Image:Flag DMK.svg|Flag of DMK
Image:AIADMK Official Flag.png|Flag of AIADMK
Image:MDMK.svg|Flag of MDMK
Image:DMDK flag.PNG|Flag of DMDK
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Dravidar Kazhagam]]
*[[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]
*[[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]
*[[Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]
*[[Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam]]
*[[Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Portalbar|India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dravidian Parties}}
[[Category:Political parties in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Dravidian political parties| ]]
[[Category:Identity politics in India]]

Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]

Dravidian parties