Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam: Difference between revisions

The '''Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam''' ({{Translation|Dravidian Progressive Federation}}, '''DMK''') is a [[social-democratic]] and [[Dravidian parties|Dravidianist]] political party in the state of [[Tamil Nadu]] and the union territory of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/topic/dmk|title=Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)|work=Business Standard India|access-date=10 August 2019}}</ref>It is the 3rd largest political party in [[Lok Sabha]] after [[BJP]] and [[Indian National Congress|INC]].It is also one of the two main political parties in Tamil Nadu, along with the rival [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]. Since the [[2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|2021 state election]], it has been the ruling party of Tamil Nadu.

At the federal level, the DMK is part of the [[United Progressive Alliance]] and is the third-largest party in the [[Lok Sabha]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Charismatic leaders missing, major TN parties rely on election strategists|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/tamil-nadu/charismatic-leaders-missing-major-tn-parties-rely-on-election-strategists/story-e5iYPyuYw7QzCNL5tnjRKJ.html|date=2019-09-08|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref> It currently holds 125 seats in the [[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly]], and the DMK-led [[Secular Progressive Alliance]] holds 159.

== History ==

=== Origins and foundation ===

The DMK traces its roots to the South Indian Liberal Federation ([[Justice Party (India)|Justice Party]]) founded by Dr [[C. Natesa Mudaliar]] in 1916, in the presence of [[P. Thyagaraya Chetty]], Dr [[P.T. Rajan]], Dr [[T. M. Nair]], Dr [[Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar]] and a ''few others in [[Victoria Public Hall]] [[Madras Presidency]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/100-years-justice-party-movement-which-defined-tamil-nadu-politics-53163|title = 100 years of Justice Party, a movement which defined Tamil Nadu politics|date = 20 November 2016}}</ref> The Justice Party, whose objectives included social equality and justice, came to power in the first general elections to the [[Madras Presidency]] in 1920.<ref>{{cite book

''The Dravidian philosophy culminated both politically and socially with DMK at the helm of administration. It was the first-ever [[Subaltern (postcolonialism)|subaltern]] movement in the history of sub-continent politics to have political representation from former lower-castes, and it was a marked move from generations of civic administrators from the upper-caste citizenry. This had a deep societal impact which resulted in increased political participation, which aided the representation of the emergent strata, enriched civic life, and subsequently strengthened the pluralist democracy.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Subramanian|first=Narendra|date=2002-11-01|title=Identity Politics and Social Pluralism: Political Sociology and Political Change in Tamil Nadu|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249027491|journal=Commonwealth & Comparative Politics - COMMONW COMP POLIT|volume=40|issue=3|pages=125–139|doi=10.1080/713999599|s2cid=153856033}}</ref>''

===C. N. Annadurai era (17 September 1949 – 3 February 1969)===

[[File:CN_Annadurai_1970_stamp_of_India.jpg|thumb|right|C. N. Annadurai, Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu]]

The DMK's first foray into electoral politics, in the [[1957 Madras Legislative Assembly election|1957 legislative assembly elections]], was mixed. While it won 15 seats, many prominent leaders such as Annadurai and [[V. R. Nedunchezhiyan]] were defeated. It fared somewhat better in [[1962 Madras Legislative Assembly election|1962]], winning 50 seats and becoming the main opposition.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_Madras_1962.pdf |title=1962 Madras State Election Results, Election Commission of India |access-date= 19 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127201143/https://eci.gov.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_Madras_1962.pdf |archive-date=27 January 2013}}</ref>

==== Anti-Hindi Imposition agitations ====

{{See also|Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu}}

The DMK, which split from the Dravidar Kazhagam in 1949, inherited the anti-Hindi Imposition policies of its parent organization. Founder C.N. Annadurai had earlier participated in the anti-Hindi imposition agitations during 1938–40 and throughout the 1940s.

On 31 July 1960, another open air anti-Hindi conference was held in [[Kodambakkam]], Madras.<ref>{{cite book|last=Venu|first=E.Es.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=83xIAAAAMAAJ|title=Why South opposes Hindi|publisher=Justice Publications|year=1979|page=76}} {{verify source|date=August 2019|reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/901408232]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/897738684]] cite No. 61 – please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref> In November 1963, DMK dropped its secessionist demand in the wake of the [[Sino-Indian War]] and the passage of the anti-secessionist 16th Amendment to the [[Indian Constitution]]. However, the anti-Hindi stance remained and hardened with the passage of Official Languages Act of 1963.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rajagopalan|first=Swarna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q7Yz5aGeoTsC|title=State and nation in south Asia|publisher=Lynne Rienner Publishers|year=2001|isbn=978-1-55587-967-9|pages=153–156}} {{verify source|date=August 2019|reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/901408232]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/897738684]] cite No. 62 – please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref> The DMK's view on Hindi's eligibility for official language status were reflected in Annadurai's response to the "numerical superiority of Hindi" argument: "If we had to accept the principle of numerical superiority while selecting our national bird, the choice would have fallen not on the peacock but on the common crow."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Venkatachalapathy|first=A. R.|date=|title=Tongue tied|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20071231-tongue-tied-734837-2007-12-20|access-date=|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref>

==== Formation of State Government ====

In 1967, DMK came to power in the [[Madras province]] 18 years after its formation and 10 years after it had first entered electoral politics. This began the Dravidian era in the Madras province, which later became [[Tamil Nadu]]. In 1967, the Congress lost nine states to opposition parties, but it was only in Madras that a single non-Congress Party (namely, the DMK) won a majority.<ref>{{cite book | last = Chakrabarty | first = Bidyut | title = Indian Politics and Society Since Independence | publisher = Routledge | year = 2008 | pages = 110–111 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QzQHZ178C24C | isbn = 978-0-415-40868-4 }} {{verify source |date=August 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/901408232]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/900528858]] cite No. 33 – please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref> The [[1967 Tamil Nadu state assembly election|electoral victory of 1967]] is also reputed to be an [[electoral fusion]] among the non-[[Indian National Congress|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>{{cite news | last = Viswanathan | first = S | title = Dravidian power | work = Frontline | date = 10–23 April 2004 | url = http://www.frontline.in/fl2108/stories/20040423007701500.htm | access-date = 19 February 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080303061014/http://www.frontline.in/fl2108/stories/20040423007701500.htm | archive-date = 3 March 2008 }} {{verify source |date=August 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/901408232]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/900528858]] cite No. 34 – please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref> At that time, his cabinet was the youngest in the country.<ref>{{cite news | last = Venkatachalapathy | first = AR | title = C.N. Annadurai – Politician, 1909–1969 | date = 10 April 2008 | url = http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&issueid=48&task=view&id=6878&acc=high | access-date = 20 December 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090112030229/http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&issueid=48&task=view&id=6878&acc=high | archive-date = 12 January 2009 }} {{verify source |date=August 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/901408232]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/900528858]] cite No. 35 – please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref>

==== Other achievements ====

Annadurai legalised [[self-respect marriages]] for the first time the country. Such marriages did not involve priests presiding over the ceremonies, and thus a [[Brahmin]] was not needed to carry out the wedding.<ref>{{cite news | last = Venkatesh | first = MR | title = Solidarity show at wedding – ADMK's brickbats on cauvery mixes with Pranab's bonhomie | publisher = The Telegraph, Calcutta | date = 7 June 2004 | url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040607/asp/nation/story_3340313.asp | access-date = 20 December 2008 | location = Calcutta, India | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090816173201/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040607/asp/nation/story_3340313.asp | archive-date = 16 August 2009 | url-status = live | df = dmy-all }} {{verify source |date=August 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/901408232]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/900528858]] cite No. 36 – please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref> Self-respect marriages were a brainchild of Periyar, who regarded the then conventional marriages as mere financial arrangements which often led to great debt through [[dowry]]. Self-respect marriages, according to him, encouraged inter-caste marriages and caused [[arranged marriages]] to be replaced by love marriages.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Hodges | first = Sara | 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 | df = dmy-all }} {{verify source |date=August 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/901408232]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/900528858]] cite No. 37 – please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref>

It was Annadurai's government that renamed [[Madras State]] to [[Tamil Nadu]], its present day name. The name change itself was first presented in the upper house ([[Rajya Sabha]]) of the [[Parliament of India]] by [[Bhupesh Gupta]], a communist MP from [[West Bengal]], but was then defeated.<ref>{{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 | isbn = 978-1-55587-967-9 }} {{verify source |date=August 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/901408232]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/900528858]] cite No. 13 – please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref> With Annadurai as chief minister, the state assembly succeeded in passing the bill renaming the state. Another major achievement of Annadurai's government was to introduce a ''two language policy''{{which|date=August 2019}} over the then popular [[three language formula]]. The three language formula, which was implemented in the neighbouring states of [[Karnataka]], Andhra Pradesh and [[Kerala]], entitled students to study three languages: the regional language, [[English language|English]] and [[Hindi]].<ref>{{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 | df = dmy-all }} {{verify source |date=August 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/901408232]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/900528858]] cite No. 22 – please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref>

=== Karunanidhi's leadership (1969–2018) ===

In 1969, Annadurai unexpectedly died. M. Karunanidhi was elected as his successor, defeating rival candidate [[V. R. Nedunchezhiyan]]. Karunanidhi would continue to head the DMK until his own death in 2018.<ref name=":0" />

==== 1972 split ====

In the 1970s, [[M. G. Ramachandran]] (M.G.R.), a popular actor and the party treasurer, resulting in a political feud between M.G.R. and the party president Karunanidhi. In 1972, M.G.R. called for a boycott of the party's General Council. The crisis led to a call for a corruption probe by M.G.R. where he was a treasurer, and he was eventually suspended from the General Council by the high power committee of DMK. He then created the new party named [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (AIADMK).<ref name="Hardgrave">{{cite book|first=Robert j|last=Hardgrave Jr.|year=1973|title= Politics and the Film in Tamilnadu: The Stars and the DMK |series=Asian Survey|publisher= University of California Press}}</ref>

==== Elections under Karunanidhi's presidency ====

* In 1977, DMK lost the Assembly elections to MGR's AIADMK, and stayed out of power in the state till 1989.<ref name="Murali82">[[#Murali|Murali 1994]], p. 82</ref> After MGR's death in December 1987, AIADMK split into two factions between [[V. N. Janaki|Janaki]] (MGR's wife) and [[Jayalalithaa]]. DMK returned to power in the 1989 State assembly elections and 3rd time Chife Minister Tamil Nadu Karunanidhi took over as chief minister in January 1989.

* In the 2014 [[Lok Sabha]] election DMK failed to win any seats; however, by vote percentage, it was second only to AIADMK.

* The 2016 state assembly elections gave DMK 89 MLAs. This was the most number for an opposition party in the history of the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly.

[[M. Karunanidhi|Karunanidhi]] died on 7 August 2018, leaving the party in the hands of his son, [[M. K. Stalin]]. Stalin had been appointed as the working president in January 2017 when his father's health started declining, and had previously been named heir apparent by his father. Stalin thus became the second DMK president since the party's inception.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/politics/mk-stalin-takes-charge-of-dmk-after-51-years-of-joining-politics-fighting-a-dynastic-battle-the-65-year-old-has-learnt-it-hard-way-5059921.html|title=MK Stalin takes charge of DMK after 51 years in politics: Fighting a dynastic battle, the 65-year-old learnt it the hard way|website=Firstpost|date=28 August 2018|access-date=29 December 2019}}</ref> On 3 February 2020, M. K. Stalin announced that [[Prashant Kishor]] was signed up as a party strategist for the upcoming [[2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=PTI |title=DMK teams up with Prashant Kishor's I-PAC for 2021 Tamil Nadu polls |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/dmk-teams-up-with-prashant-kishor-s-i-pac-for-2021-tami-nadu-polls-1642677-2020-02-03 |access-date=7 February 2020 |work=India Today |date=3 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref>[[File:The Minister for Rural Development and Local Administration , Government of Tamil Nadu Shri.M.K.Stalin called on the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, in New Delhi on July 04, 2007 (1).jpg|alt=|thumb|201x201px|M.K. Stalin calls on the Prime Minister, Dr. [[Manmohan Singh]] in New Delhi on 4 July 2007.]]

On 25 March 2018, the DMK held a statewide conference in [[Erode]] and [[M. K. Stalin]] released five slogans at the conference. They were:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tamil.samayam.com/latest-news/state-news/mk-stalin-addressed-the-followers-in-erode-dmk-meet/articleshow/63454760.cms|title=ஐம்பெரும் முழக்கங்கள்: ஈரோடு மண்டல மாநாட்டில் ஸ்டாலின் உரை|date=25 March 2018|website=Samayam Tamil|language=ta|access-date=11 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://minnambalam.com/k/2018/03/26/31|title=ஸ்டாலின் முன்வைத்த ஐம்பெரும் முழக்கங்கள்!|website=மின்னம்பலம்|language=ta|access-date=11 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tamil.oneindia.com/news/tamilnadu/mk-stalin-releases-5-slogans-dmk-315312.html|title=மதவெறியை மாய்ப்போம்- அதிகார குவியலை அடித்து நொறுக்குவோம்: திமுகவின் 5 முழக்கங்களை அறிவித்த ஸ்டாலின்|last=Priya|first=Lakshmi|date=25 March 2018|website=oneindia.com|language=ta|access-date=11 August 2019}}</ref>

# Let's keep an eye on the Kalaignar's command

# Let us grow and admire Tamil

The DMK-led [[Secular Progressive Alliance]] won the [[2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election]]. The alliance won 159 seats out of 234 seats with 46% vote share.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}}

==Party ideology==

=== Dravidian nationalism ===

The [[Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu|Anti-Hindi Imposition agitations]] of 1965 forced the [[Government of India|central government]] to abandon its efforts to use [[Hindi]] as the only official language of the country. However, Hindi usage has continued as Indian government employees are asked to write as much as 65% of the letters and memoranda in Hindi.<ref name="Palani">{{cite book|title=Polyethnicity in India and Canada: Possibilities for Exploration|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BdxwA3xDtSEC&pg=PA21|pages=21–22|last=Palanithurai|first=Ganapathy |publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd.|year=1997|isbn=9788175330399}}</ref>

=== State autonomy ===

After [[The Emergency (India)|The Emergency]] invoked by Indira Gandhi, more state powers like education and medical care were moved from state control to national control. At the state conference in [[Tiruchirappalli|Trichy]] after the death of C.N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi announced the adoption of the "state autonomy" principle to advocate for state self-governance. In April 1974, the DMK government brought in a resolution in the House urging the centre to accept the Rajamannar Committee recommendations on state autonomy and amend the Constitution of India to pave the way for a truly federal system.<ref name="Palani" />

=== Social justice ===

The DMK reconstituted the disabled persons welfare board to Differently Abled Persons Departments and the changed official terms for transgender individuals to more respectful terms like Thirunangai and Thirunambi.<ref name="Nadika">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/self-respect-weddings-transgender-rights-karunanidhi-leader-minorities-86159|title=Self-respect weddings to transgender rights: Karunanidhi, a leader of minorities|last=N|first=Nadika|website=newsminute.com|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref>

== Party symbol ==

The party's election symbol is the "sun rising from between two mountains", with a black and red flag often pictured. The symbol was inspired by the leader and scriptwriter M. Karunanidhi's 1950s play ''Udaya Suryan'', and is intended to signify the "rising" spirit of the Dravidian people.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/story-udaya-suriyan-how-rising-sun-became-symbol-dmk-43247|title=The story of Udaya Suriyan: How the rising sun became the symbol of DMK|date=14 May 2016}}</ref>

In the 1957 poll, the DMK was not recognized by the Election Commission. The party was grouped as independents and was not united by its rising sun symbol and was forced to contest under the rooster symbol.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/story-udaya-suriyan-how-rising-sun-became-symbol-dmk-43247|title=The story of Udaya Suriyan: How the rising sun became the symbol of DMK|last=Isaac|first=Anna|date=n.d.|website=thenewsminute.com|access-date=24 March 2020}}</ref>

==Election history==

=== Parliament General elections in Tamil Nadu ===

| 10,290,515

| {{yes2|Government}}

| [[1984 Indian general election|1984]]

|{{Composition bar|2|39|{{party color|Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam}}}}

| {{no2|Opposition}}

|}

=== Tamil Nadu Assembly election ===

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|{{yes2|government}}

|}

=== Puducherry ===

{| class="wikitable sortable

|-

|}

{| class="wikitable sortable

|-

| 1998 || 12th Lok Sabha || 168,122 || 1

|}

== List of presidents ==

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

||[[M. K. Stalin]]<br><small>(01/03/1953)</small> || 28 August 2018 – ''Incumbent'' || {{age in years and days|2018|8|28}};

|}

== List of general secretaries ==

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

|{{age in years and days|2020|9|9|}}

|}

== List of chief ministers ==

=== Madras State ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|1 || [[C. N. Annadurai]]<br />{{small|(1909–1969)}} || 6 March 1967 – 13 January 1969 || 680 days (2–Year's)

|}

=== Tamil Nadu ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|4 || [[M. K. Stalin]]<br>{{small|(1953–)}} || 7 May 2021– ''[[Incumbent]]'' || (2021–Present)

|}

=== Puducherry ===

{|class="sortable wikitable"

|(26 May 1996 – 21 March 2000)

|}

== Current office bearers and prominent members ==

{|class="sortable wikitable"

|[[Duraimurugan]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://assembly.tn.gov.in/disp_ind.asp?prof_id=78|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222093834/http://assembly.tn.gov.in/disp_ind.asp?prof_id=78|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-02-22|title=Profile of Durai Murugan|work=assembly.tn.gov}}</ref>

|Minister for Water Resources, MLA from [[Katpadi (state assembly constituency)|Katpadi]]

|General Secretary and <br/>Leader of House Tamil Nadu legislative Assembly  

|- style="text-align:left; background:#fff;"

|NRI Wing Secretary  

|}

== List of union ministers ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|[[Murasoli Maran]]<br /><small>(1934–2003)</small>

|[[Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)|Minister of Commerce and Industry]]

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

|13 October 1999 – 9 November 2002

|[[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]

|}

== Splits and offshoots ==

There are two major parties that have been formed as a result of splits from the DMK, such as

* [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (AIADMK) was founded on 17 October 1972 by [[M. G. Ramachandran]].

* [[Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (MDMK) was founded on 6 May 1994 by [[Vaiko]].

== Media ==

The DMK party runs two newspapers, one in English and one in Tamil, namely ''The Rising Sun'' (weekly journal) and ''[[Murasoli (India)|Murasoli]]'' (daily), respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dmk.in/|title=DMK homepage|access-date=11 November 2013|publisher=Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam}}</ref>

Kalaignar TV is a channel started on 15 September 2007 and managed by [[Kanimozhi Karunanidhi]] and Dayalu Ammal, the daughter and wife of Karunanidhi. The sister channels of Kalaignar TV are Isaiaruvi (music channel), Seithigal (news channel), Sirippoli (comedy channel), Kalaignar Asia, and Chithiram (Tamil cartoon channel).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kalaignartv.co.in/|title=Kalaignar Channel|publisher=Kalaignar Channel|access-date=11 November 2013}}</ref>

== Controversies ==

Indira Gandhi dismissed the Karunanidhi government in 1976 based on charges of possible secession and corruption. The DMK government has been indicted by the Sarkaria commission for corruption in allotting tenders for the [[Veeranam]] drainage project.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/06/10/stories/0410223a.htm|work=The Hindu|title=What the Sarkaria Commission said|access-date=11 November 2013|date=10 June 2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205052213/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/06/10/stories/0410223a.htm|archive-date=5 December 2010|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

=== Alleged connections with LTTE ===

The interim report of the Justice [[Jain Commission]], which oversaw the investigation into [[Rajiv Gandhi]]'s [[Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi|assassination]], indicted Karunanidhi for abetting the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] (LTTE).<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.india-today.com/itoday/17111997/cov.html|last=Chawla|first=Prabhu|magazine=India Today|title=Jain Commission Revelations: Damning the DMK|access-date=11 November 2013|date=17 November 1997|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> The interim report recommended that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and the DMK party be held responsible for abetting Rajiv Gandhi's murderers. The final report contained no such allegations.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/14/stories/2004021405140100.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040228033749/http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/14/stories/2004021405140100.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=28 February 2004 | location=Chennai, India | title=No adverse comments on DMK leaders in Jain report | date=14 February 2004| work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=11 November 2013}}</ref>

=== Allegations of nepotism ===

Karunanidhi's nephew, [[Murasoli Maran]], was a [[Union Minister]]; however, it has been pointed out that he was in politics long before Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister in 1969.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.indiainfo.com/2003/11/23/23maran1.html|title=Maran&nbsp;– the eyes and ears of DMK in Delhi|publisher=Indiainfo.com|access-date=11 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617023328/http://news.indiainfo.com/2003/11/23/23maran1.html|archive-date=17 June 2011}}</ref>

Many political opponents and DMK party senior leaders have been critical of the rise of M. K. Stalin in the party. He was appointed as Mayor and later as Deputy CM of TN. But some of the party men have pointed out that Stalin has come up on his own.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.india-today.com/itoday/19991101/stalin.html|title=Politics: Special Series; M K Stalin|work=India Today|date=1 November 1999|access-date=11 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924034411/http://www.india-today.com/itoday/19991101/stalin.html|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi has been appointed as the Rajya Sabha MP.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}} Karunanidhi's nephew's son Dayanidhi Maran has been appointed as the central Minister.

Karunanidhi's son-in-law has been appointed as the central minister in the 2000s.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

Karunanidhi is also accused of allowing Azhagiri to function as an extraconstitutional authority in Madurai.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2003/08/19/stories/2003081902600400.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031122081430/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2003/08/19/stories/2003081902600400.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=22 November 2003 | location=Chennai, India | title=Charge sheet filed against Azhagiri in Kiruttinan case | date=19 August 2003| work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=11 November 2013}}</ref> The Dinakaran newspaper case was handed over to the CBI. But the District and Sessions court acquitted all the 17 accused in that case.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/10/stories/2009121059620100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213114829/http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/10/stories/2009121059620100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 December 2009|title= All acquitted in Dinakaran case|date=5 December 2009|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=11 November 2013}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[2G spectrum case]]

* [[Kallakudi demonstration]]

* [[Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi]]

==References==

{{Reflist|30em}}

===Publications===

{{Refbegin|30em}}

* {{cite web|title=Statistical report on Tamil Nadu Assembly general elections 2006|publisher=Election Commission of India|location=New Delhi|year=2006|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/statisticalreports/SE_2006/StatReport_TN_2006.pdf|ref=stat2006}}

{{Refend}}

==External links==

* {{Official website}}  

* [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dravidian-Progressive-Federation Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam] — entry at ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]''

{{Dravidian politics-hor}}

{{India separatist movements}}

{{Indian political parties}}

{{United Progressive Alliance |state=collapsed}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam| ]]

[[Category:1949 establishments in India]]