Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Party chairperson	M. Karunanidhi
General Secretary	K. Anbazhagan
Founded	1949
Headquarters	Arivalayam, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600018
Alliance	United Progressive Alliance
Political ideology	Social Democratic/Populist
Publications	Murasoli
Website	http://www.dmk.in
See also the politics of India series

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Tamil:திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகம்) (literally "Dravidian Progress Federation" ^[1]) is a regional political party in the state of Tamil Nadu in India, but also has presence in nearby union territory of Puducherry. It is a Dravidian party found by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar. The party is headed by M Karunanidhi, the incumbent Chief Minister of the state.

Formation of DMK

Justice Party

DMK traces its roots to the South Indian Liberal Federation (Justice Party) formed in 1916, by P. Thiyagarayar, Dr.P T Rajan, Dr. Natesanar and few others. The Justice Party, whose objectives included social equality and justice, came to power in the first General Elections to Chennai Presidency in 1920.^[2] E. V. Ramasami Naicker (known as "Periyar"), a popular Tamil leader, who had joined Indian National Congress in 1919, became disillusioned with what he considered as the Brahminic leadership of the party.^[3] He quit Congress and in 1935, he joined the Justice Party. In the 1937 elections, the Justice Party lost and the Indian National Congress under C. Rajagopalachari ("Rajaji") came to power in Madras Presidency. Rajaji's introduction of Hindi as a compulsory subject in schools led to the anti-Hindi agitations, led by Periyar and his associates.

Dravida Kazhagam

In August 1944, Periyar carved out the "Dravida Kazhagham" out of the Justice Party at the Salem Provincial Conference.^[4]

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

However, over the years, disputes arose between Periyar and his followers. In 1949, several of his followers led by C. N. Annadurai, decided to split from Dravida Kazhagham, after an aged Periyar married a young woman Maniammai and anointed his young wife to act as his successor to lead the party, superseding senior party leaders. Until then E. V. K. Sampath, the nephew of Periyar, was considered as his political heir.^[5]

Annadurai, on September 17, 1949 along with V. R. Nedunchezhiyan, K.A.Mathialagan, K. Anbazhagan, E. V. K. Sampath and thousands of others in Robinson park in Royapuram in Chennai announced the formation of the DMK. Few months later M. Karunanidhi, left DK and joined the DMK. The DMK carried on the principles and aims of the Justice Party and Dravidar Kazhagam. The movement was initially mooted as one that championed the cause of socially and economically disadvantaged sections of the society. It was also sympathetic to the demand for a separate "Dravida Nadu" state.

DMK has been firmly in favour of reservation for the backward classes for social upliftment, and has increased reservation up to 69% the highest in the country. DMK along with Periyar forced the withdrawal of the Kula Kalvi Thittam of Rajaji where schools will work in the morning and students had to compulsorily learn the family vocation in the afternoon.^[6]

MGR was a member of the DMK, and he was seen as an icon of the DMK and spread its message through films like Anbe Vaa. In 1953 MGR joined the DMK popularised the party flag and symbol by showing it in his movies.Annadurai wanted a separate Dravida Nadu which he gave after the Indian parliament amended (in 1963) the constitution prohibiting "separtist parties" to contest elections following the 1962 China War. The Anti-Hindi agitations of 1965, forced the central government to abandon its efforts to impose Hindi as the only official language of the country; still Hindi imposition continued as Indian government employees are asked to do write as much as 65% of the letters and memoranda in Hindi. In 1967, DMK came to power in Tamil Nadu in 1967, after the anti-Hindi tide helped it defeat the Congress.

Karunanidhi era

Dravidian political parties
Dravidian movement Periyar E. V. Ramasamy Rise of Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu Anti-Hindi agitations
Former Dravidian parties Justice party Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani Thayga Marumalarchi Kazhagam
Contemporary Dravidian parties Dravidar Kazhagam Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Pattali Makkal Katchi Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam All India Latchiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam more
Chief Ministers from Dravidian parties C. N. Annadurai V. R. Nedunchezhiyan M. Karunanidhi M. G. Ramachandran Janaki Ramachandran J. Jayalalithaa O. Panneerselvam This box: view • talk •

With the passage of time and a shift in the national political scenario towards coalition governments, DMK adopted a more national outlook. It championed the cause of Tamil language and culture, and used its national clout to make Government of India declare Tamil as a classical language.DMK and its president Dr.M.Karunanidhi was the main root cause of implementing mandal commission to provide rights to backward castes.DMK was the cause for naming the state Tamilnadu as Tamilnadu instead of Madras state,and also Madras as chennai.In 2008 DMK announced "Thai" as the first month for tamils instead of following the Sanskrit way.

The DMK is also sympathetic to the freedom struggle in and of Tamil Eelam. It split over the past three decades into the AIADMK in the 1970s and the MDMK in the 1990s.

MGR and split in the party

M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) who was a popular actor and the then party treasurer had brought his fans to the party and also playing a vital part in popularising the party's ideologies. The political feud between MGR and the then party president Karunanidhi emerged as an aftermath of the latter calling himself "Mujib of Tamil Nadu". MGR called for a boycoutt of the party's General Council. With the crisis falling into call for corruption probe by MGR, he was eventually suspended from the General Council. Thus emerged a new party Anna DMK (AIADMK).^[7]

Presidents

Election history

See pdf for summary. DMK's worst poll performance ever in this state was registered in 1962 and its peak in 1996.

Madras State

Tamil Nadu

Pondicherry

See also

• Politics of India
• List of political parties in India

External links

• The official party website
• Election reports by EC
• Manisegaran on Dravida Movement

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References