Edappadi K. Palaniswami facts for kids
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Edappadi K. Palaniswami
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| Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly | |
| Assumed office 11 May 2021 |
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| Deputy |
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| Chief Minister | M. K. Stalin |
| Preceded by | M. K. Stalin |
| Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu | |
| In office 16 February 2017 – 6 May 2021 |
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| Governor |
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| Deputy | O. Panneerselvam |
| Cabinet | Palaniswami |
| Preceded by | O. Panneerselvam |
| Succeeded by | M. K. Stalin |
| Cabinet Minister Government of Tamil Nadu |
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| In office 23 May 2016 – 7 May 2021 |
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| Minister | Public Works |
| Chief Minister |
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| Preceded by | O. Panneerselvam |
| Succeeded by | E. V. Velu |
| Constituency | Edappadi |
| In office 23 May 2015 – 8 August 2015 |
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| Minister | Forests |
| Chief Minister | J. Jayalalithaa |
| Preceded by | M. S. M. Anandan |
| Succeeded by | Dindigul C. Sreenivasan |
| Constituency | Edappadi |
| In office 16 May 2011 – 7 May 2021 |
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| Minister | Highways and Minor Ports |
| Chief Minister |
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| Preceded by | M. P. Saminathan |
| Succeeded by | E. V. Velu |
| Constituency | Edappadi |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 10 March 1998 – 26 April 1999 |
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| Prime Minister | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| Preceded by | K. P. Ramalingam |
| Succeeded by | M. Kannappan |
| Constituency | Tiruchengode |
| Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly | |
| Assumed office 23 May 2011 |
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| Chief Minister |
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| Preceded by | V. Kaveri |
| Constituency | Edappadi |
| In office 6 February 1989 – 13 May 1996 |
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| Chief Minister | |
| Preceded by | Govindaswamy |
| Succeeded by | I. Ganesan |
| Constituency | Edappadi |
| General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| Assumed office 11 July 2022 |
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| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | J. Jayalalithaa |
| Joint Coordinator of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| In office 21 August 2017 – 23 June 2022 |
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| Deputy |
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| Coordinator | O. Panneerselvam |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Headquarters Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| In office 8 June 2016 – 12 July 2022 |
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| General Secretary | J. Jayalalithaa |
| Coordinators |
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| Preceded by | P. Palaniappan |
| Succeeded by | S. P. Velumani |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Palaniswami
12 May 1954 Siluvampalayam, Salem district, Madras State, India (present-day Tamil Nadu) |
| Political party | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Spouse | Ratha Palaniswami |
| Children | 1 |
| Residences |
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| Profession |
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| Awards |
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Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami (born on May 12, 1954) is an Indian politician. He is currently the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. He was the 7th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 2017 to 2021. Since March 28, 2023, he has been the General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) political party.
Palaniswami was born in 1954 in Salem district in what was then Madras State. He worked as an agriculturalist before starting his political career in 1974. He has represented the Edappadi area as a Member of the Legislative Assembly since 2011. He also served in this role from 1989 to 1996. In 1998, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Lok Sabha (India's lower house of Parliament).
After the 2011 elections, he became the Minister of Highways and Minor Ports. After the 2016 elections, he also served as the Minister of Public Works.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Palaniswami was born on May 12, 1954. His parents were Karuppa Gounder and Thavasiyammal. They lived in Siluvampalayam, Salem district, which is now part of Tamil Nadu. After school, he studied for a Bachelor of Science degree. His parents were farmers, and he also chose to work in agriculture. He has a brother named Govindraj and a sister named Ranjitham. He is married to Ratha and they have one son.
Political Journey
Starting in Politics (1974-2010)
Palaniswami began his political journey in 1974. He joined the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party as a volunteer. He was first elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 1989. He represented the Edappadi area and was re-elected in 1991. He lost the election in 1996 for the same area.
In the 1998 national election, he became a Member of Parliament. He represented the Tiruchengodu area in the 12th Lok Sabha. He later lost elections in 1999 and 2004 for the same area. In 2006, he ran for the Edappadi assembly seat again but lost. In 2006, he was made the propaganda secretary of AIADMK. Later, in 2007, he became an organizing secretary.
Serving as a Cabinet Minister (2011-2017)
Palaniswami was re-elected from the Edappadi area in the 2011 assembly election. He was appointed as the Minister of Highways and Minor Ports. This was part of the cabinet led by J. Jayalalithaa. From 2011 to 2022, he also served as the district secretary for AIADMK in Salem.
In 2014, he joined the disciplinary committee of AIADMK. He was re-elected from Edappadi in the 2016 assembly election. After the 2016 elections, he also became the Minister of Public Works. In 2016, he was appointed as the headquarters secretary of AIADMK.
Becoming Chief Minister (2017-2021)
Palaniswami became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in February 2017. This happened after O. Panneerselvam resigned. Panneerselvam had been the interim chief minister after the death of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa in December 2016. Palaniswami took his oath on February 16, 2017. He led a cabinet of 32 members. He was also in charge of departments like home affairs and excise.
In March 2017, he started the Kudimaramathu Scheme. This plan aimed to fix and restore small irrigation tanks and lakes in the state. His government also worked to improve school education. They revised the school textbook syllabus for classes 1 to 12. This was done to help students prepare better for competitive exams.
In May 2018, there were protests against a copper plant in Thoothukudi. People said the plant was polluting groundwater. Police opened fire during these protests, and 13 people died. The government later ordered the permanent closure of the plant on May 28, 2018.
On August 15, 2018, Palaniswami announced a special quota for sportspersons. This meant 2% of government jobs would be reserved for medal-winning athletes. This was later increased to 3%. His government was praised for how it handled Cyclone Gaja in November 2018. In August 2019, he launched "Amma patrol" vehicles. These vehicles were for the safety of women and children in public places.
In the 2019 national election, AIADMK formed an alliance. However, they won only one seat. In 2019, Palaniswami started the Yaadhum Oore program. This program aimed to attract foreign investment to Tamil Nadu. He visited countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and United Arab Emirates for this purpose.
His government created new districts in 2019 and 2020. These new districts included Tenkasi, Kallakurichi, and Mayiladuthurai. On February 28, 2019, Palaniswami started work on the Athikadavu–Avinashi Groundwater Recharge and Drinking Water Supply Scheme. This project was important for providing water to many people.
In February 2020, the government declared the Kaveri delta region a protected special agriculture zone. In May 2020, they reserved 7.5% of seats in government medical colleges for public school students. They also planned to build eleven new government medical colleges.
The Palaniswami Government also supported archaeological work. They funded excavations at Keezhadi. Many ancient artifacts and structures from the Sangam era were found there. On July 20, 2020, Palaniswami laid the foundation for a museum at Keezhadi. This museum would display the unearthed artifacts.
Under his leadership, Tamil Nadu was ranked among the top states for sustainable development in October 2020. During the coronavirus pandemic, Tamil Nadu did not experience negative economic growth. Tamil Nadu was also ranked as the best performing large state from 2018 to 2021 by India Today. On January 5, 2021, his government announced that the Thaipusam festival would be a public holiday every year.
Leadership Changes in AIADMK
In October 2020, there was a discussion about who would be the Chief Ministerial candidate for AIADMK. Some party members suggested Palaniswami. Finally, on October 7, 2020, it was announced that Palaniswami would be the party's Chief Ministerial candidate.
Leader of the Opposition (2021–Present)
AIADMK lost the 2021 assembly elections. Palaniswami resigned as chief minister on May 6, 2021. He won his seat from Edappadi for the third time in a row. He was then elected as the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on May 11, 2021.
In June 2022, many senior members of AIADMK wanted to change the party's leadership system. They wanted Palaniswami to become the general secretary of the party. On July 11, 2022, the AIADMK general council removed the dual leadership model. They appointed Palaniswami as the interim chief. Another leader, Panneerselvam, was removed from the party.
After some legal challenges, the Supreme Court of India confirmed Palaniswami's leadership on February 23, 2023. On March 28, 2023, AIADMK announced that Palaniswami was elected as the general secretary. The Election Commission of India recognized him as the general secretary on April 20, 2023.
On August 20, 2023, Palaniswami led a large conference in Madurai. This was part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of AIADMK's founding. On September 25, 2023, AIADMK officially left the National Democratic Alliance. This happened before the 2024 national election.
After the 2023 Chennai floods, Palaniswami asked the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for a report on flood preparedness. He criticized the state government for not being ready. In the 2024 national election, Palaniswami led an alliance. However, his party and its allies did not win any seats. As of July 2025, Palaniswami has Z+ category security due to threats.
Ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Palaniswami launched a statewide campaign tour. It is called Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom (Let us protect the people and reclaim Tamil Nadu). The tour started in Mettupalayam on July 7, 2025.
Awards and Recognitions
Honorary Doctorates
| No. | Year | Awarded by | Location | Country | Reason |
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| 1 | 2019 | Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute |  Tamil Nadu |
India |
For his great work in public service |
Other Honors
| No. | Image | Award | Area | Date | Awarded by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Paul Harris Fellow | Public Service | July 11, 2020 | The Rotary Foundation |
See also
- Edappadi K. Palaniswami ministry
