All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
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| Abbreviation | AIADMK |
| Parliamentary Chairperson | M. Thambidurai |
| Rajya Sabha leader | M. Thambidurai |
| Founder | M. G. Ramachandran |
| Founded | 17 October 1972 |
| Split from | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Headquarters | Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Maaligai, 226, V.P. Raman Salai, Royapettah, Chennai – 600014, Tamil Nadu, India. |
| Newspaper | Namadhu Amma (Tamil) |
| Student wing | AIADMK Students' Wing |
| Youth wing | M.G.R. Youth Wing |
| Women's wing | AIADMK Women's Wing |
| Labour wing | Anna Thozhirsanga Peravai |
| Peasant's wing | AIADMK Agriculture Wing |
| Ideology | Populism Socialism Welfarism Secularism Regionalism Social justice Tamil nationalism |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| Colours | Green |
| ECI Status | State party |
| Alliance |
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| Seats in Lok Sabha |
0 / 543
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| Seats in Rajya Sabha |
4 / 245
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| Seats in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly |
61 / 234
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| Seats in Puducherry Legislative Assembly |
0 / 30
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| Number of states and union territories in government |
0 / 31
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| Election symbol | |
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| Party flag | |
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| Website | |
| AIADMK | |
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is a major political party in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the territory of Puducherry. It is a Dravidian party, which means it focuses on the rights and culture of Dravidian people in Southern India.
The party was started by the famous actor and politician M. G. Ramachandran, also known as M.G.R. He founded it on October 17, 1972. It was a new group that broke away from another party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The AIADMK follows the ideas of leaders like C. N. Annadurai and believes in helping all people, especially the poor.
The AIADMK has been very successful, winning the majority in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly seven times. Today, it is the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu. After M.G.R., the party was led for many years by J. Jayalalithaa, who was also a very popular chief minister. The party's main office, called Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Maaligai, is in Chennai.
Headquarters of the party
What the Party Believes In
The party follows his ideas.
The AIADMK has always focused on creating programs to help people. These programs are often aimed at the poorer parts of society. One famous program was the Nutritious Meal Programme, which gave healthy meals to children in schools.
The party also gives out free items to help families. For example, they have given free bicycles to students and home appliances like mixers and fans to the public. These ideas are part of their goal to improve the lives of people in Tamil Nadu.
Culture and Language
The AIADMK strongly supports a "two-language policy." This means that in Tamil Nadu, Tamil and English should be the main languages used in government and schools. They oppose making Hindi the only main language for the whole country.
Protecting the Environment
The party has taken steps to protect nature. In 2017, they started the Kudimaramathu Scheme to clean and restore lakes and ponds with the help of local farmers. They also ordered a factory in Thoothukkudi to close because it was polluting the air and water.
The AIADMK also declared the Cauvery Delta, a rich farming area, a "protected special agriculture zone." This helps protect farmers and their land. The party also supports Jallikattu, a traditional bull-taming sport in Tamil Nadu, believing it is an important part of the state's culture.
History of the Party
The M. G. Ramachandran Years (1972–1987)
Founder of the party
The party was founded in 1972 by M. G. Ramachandran (M.G.R.), who was a huge star in Tamil movies. He started the AIADMK after he was removed from the DMK party. M.G.R. used his large fan clubs to quickly build up the new party.
Just five years after it was started, the AIADMK won the 1977 state election. M.G.R. became the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. He was the first actor to become a chief minister in India. He was very popular and won re-election two more times.
In 1982, another famous actress, J. Jayalalithaa, joined the party. She quickly became an important leader. M.G.R. remained a beloved leader until he passed away in 1987 while still in office.
The J. Jayalalithaa Years (1989–2016)
Former General Secretary of the party
After M.G.R.'s death, there was a struggle for who would lead the party. For a short time, the party split into two groups. One was led by M.G.R.'s wife, V. N. Janaki Ramachandran, and the other by J. Jayalalithaa. Soon, the party came together under Jayalalithaa's leadership.
In the 1991 election, the AIADMK had a huge victory. Jayalalithaa became the chief minister for the first time. She would go on to serve as chief minister for six terms in total, though not all at once. She was known for her strong leadership and popular welfare programs, like the "Amma Canteens" that served low-cost food.
Under her leadership, the party won a massive victory in the 2014 national election, winning 37 out of 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. This made the AIADMK the third-largest party in India's parliament at the time.
In 2014, Jayalalithaa had to step down from her role as chief minister because of a court decision. O. Panneerselvam took over for a short time. She returned as chief minister in 2015. Jayalalithaa passed away in December 2016 after a long illness.
Dual Leadership (2017–2022)
After Jayalalithaa's death, the party was led by two people: O. Panneerselvam (OPS) and Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS). This was called a "dual leadership" system. Palaniswami served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 2017 to 2021.
During this time, the party faced challenges. In the 2019 national election, the AIADMK won only one seat. In the 2021 state election, the party lost power to its rival, the DMK. The AIADMK became the main opposition party.
Over time, disagreements grew between OPS and EPS. Many party members felt that the dual leadership was not working. They wanted a single, strong leader to guide the party.
The Edappadi K. Palaniswami Years (2022–present)
General Secretary of the party
In July 2022, the party held a large meeting. The members decided to end the dual leadership system. They elected Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) as the single leader, giving him the title of General Secretary.
This decision was challenged in court by O. Panneerselvam, but the courts eventually agreed that Palaniswami's election was valid. As the new leader, Palaniswami has been working to strengthen the party.
In September 2023, the AIADMK announced it was leaving the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a group of parties led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The party then formed its own alliance for the 2024 national election but did not win any seats.
On April 11, 2025, the AIADMK and the BJP announced they would form an alliance again for the 2026 Tamil Nadu state election.
List of Party Leaders
The main leader of the AIADMK is called the General Secretary.
General Secretaries
- M. G. Ramachandran (1972–1987): The founder of the party.
- J. Jayalalithaa (1988–2016): Led the party for almost 29 years.
- Edappadi K. Palaniswami (2022–present): The current leader.
Chief Ministers from AIADMK
Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu
- M. G. Ramachandran: Served three terms.
- V. N. Janaki Ramachandran: Served for a very short time in 1988.
- J. Jayalalithaa: Served six terms.
- O. Panneerselvam: Served three short terms.
- Edappadi K. Palaniswami: Served from 2017 to 2021.
Chief Minister of Puducherry
- S. Ramassamy: Served two short terms in the 1970s.
See also
In Spanish: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam para niños
- Politics of Tamil Nadu
- List of political parties in India
- M. G. Ramachandran
- J. Jayalalithaa
