Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam
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|---|---|
| Abbreviation | DMDK |
| Founder | Vijayakant |
| Founded | 14 September 2005 |
| Headquarters | Captain Aalayam, 125/7, Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, Koyambedu, Chennai – 600107, Tamil Nadu, India. |
| Student wing | DMDK Student Wing |
| Youth wing | DMDK Youth Wing |
| Women's wing | DMDK Women's Wing |
| Labour wing | Desiya Murpokku Union Federation |
| Ideology |
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| Colours | Yellow |
| ECI Status | State party |
| Alliance |
Former Alliances
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| Seats in Lok Sabha |
0 / 543
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| Seats in Rajya Sabha |
0 / 245
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| Seats in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly |
0 / 234
|
| Number of states and union territories in government |
0 / 31
|
| Election symbol | |
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| Party flag | |
 |
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| Website | |
| www.dmdkparty.com | |
The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) is a political party in Tamil Nadu, India. Its name means "National Progressive Dravidian Federation." The party was started by the famous Tamil film star and politician Vijayakant (also known as Captain). He founded the party in Madurai on September 14, 2005.
Vijayakant led the party from its beginning until December 14, 2023. After that, his wife, Premallatha Vijayakant, became the party's general secretary. The DMDK was the main opposition party in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 2011 to 2016. The party's main office is called Captain Aalayam, located in Chennai. In 2025, the party joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) again.
History of the DMDK Party
The Vijayakant Years (2005–2023)
Founder of the party
The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) was founded on September 14, 2005. Its founder was Vijayakant, a well-known Tamil film actor and politician. He became the party's first president. Ramu Vasanthan was the first general secretary, but he passed away in 2009. Vijayakant then took over that role in 2014.
In the 2006 state election, the DMDK ran for all 234 seats by itself. The party won only one seat, which was Vijayakant's own seat in Vriddhachalam. The party received about 8.38% of the total votes.
For the 2009 national election, the DMDK again ran alone. It competed in 40 seats across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. However, the party did not win any seats in this election.
In the 2011 state election, the DMDK formed an alliance with other parties, including J. Jayalalithaa's All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). This alliance won a huge victory. The DMDK won 29 out of the 40 seats it contested. This made it the second-largest party in the assembly, after its ally AIADMK. Because of this success, Vijayakant became the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. This was a historic moment, as he was the first actor to hold such a position in India. The party also received a permanent election symbol, the Nagara (a type of drum), from the Election Commission of India.
After 2014, the party's performance began to decline. In the 2014 national election, the DMDK joined an alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), called the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The DMDK contested 14 seats, which was the highest number among the alliance partners in Tamil Nadu. Despite high hopes, the party lost all 14 seats.
In the 2016 state election, the DMDK formed an alliance called the "Captain Vijayakanth Alliance." This group included several other parties. However, the DMDK did not win any seats in this election. Many of its candidates also lost their deposits, meaning they did not get enough votes.
For the 2019 national elections, the DMDK joined the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) again. This alliance also included the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. The DMDK contested four seats but lost all of them. The Secular Progressive Alliance, led by the DMK, won most of the seats in Tamil Nadu that year.
In the 2021 state election, the DMDK allied with the Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam. The party contested 60 seats but did not win any. After this election, the DMK became the ruling party, and the AIADMK became the main opposition.
Sadly, Vijayakant passed away on December 28, 2023, after a long illness.
The Premallatha Vijayakant Years (2023–Present)
On December 14, 2023, Vijayakant announced that his wife, Premallatha Vijayakant, would become the general secretary of the party. This happened at a meeting in Chennai. Since Vijayakant's passing, Premallatha has been leading the party as its general secretary.
In the 2024 national election, the DMDK joined the AIADMK-led Alliance in Tamil Nadu. The party contested five seats. One of these seats, Virudhunagar, was contested by V. Vijaya Prabhakaran, who is the son of Vijayakant and Premallatha Vijayakant. However, the party lost in all the constituencies it contested.
Party Leaders
Presidents of DMDK
| No. | Portrait | Name | Time in Office | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Started | Ended | Total Time | |||
| 1 | |
Vijayakant | 14 September 2005 | 28 December 2023 | 18 years, 105 days |
General Secretaries of DMDK
| No. | Portrait | Name | Time in Office | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Started | Ended | Total Time | |||
| 1 |  |
S. Ramu Vasanthan | 14 September 2005 | 17 July 2009 | 3 years, 306 days |
| 2 | |
Vijayakant | 1 June 2014 | 14 December 2023 | 9 years, 196 days |
| 3 | |
Premallatha Vijayakant | 14 December 2023 | Still in office | 1 year, 258 days |
Important Roles in the Assembly
Leaders of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu
- Further information: Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
| No. | Portrait | Name | Time in Office | Assembly | Constituency | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Started | Ended | Total Time | |||||
| 1 | |
Vijayakant | 27 May 2011 | 21 February 2016 | 4 years, 270 days | 14th | Rishivandiyam |
Deputy Leaders of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu
| No. | Portrait | Name | Time in Office | Assembly | Constituency | Leader of the Opposition | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Started | Ended | Total Time | ||||||
| 1 | |
Panruti S. Ramachandran | 27 May 2011 | 10 December 2013 | 2 years, 197 days | 14th | Alandur | Vijayakant |
| 2 | |
Alagaapuram R. Mohanraj | 31 January 2014 | 21 February 2016 | 2 years, 21 days | Salem North | ||
Images for kids
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The Nagara drum, the election symbol of DMDK.
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The flag of the DMDK party.
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Symbol for Lok Sabha Elections.
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Symbol for Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Elections.
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Symbol for Puducherry Legislative Assembly Elections.
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Symbol for Delhi Legislative Assembly Elections.
