Tamil Nadu Political Parties – Full List
The political arena in Tamil Nadu is one of India’s most dynamic and historically rich, defined largely by the enduring rivalry between the Dravidian majors—the DMK and the AIADMK. However, the state’s political fabric is woven with numerous influential players, from the rising Tamil nationalist party NTK to the newly registered TVK and several crucial smaller regional and national allies. This resource provides a complete, up-to-date guide to all significant political parties in Tamil Nadu, detailing their ECI status, key leaders, and founding history, serving as an essential reference for election tracking and political analysis.
Dravidian Ideology Explained
| Type | Abbreviation | Party Name (English & Tamil) | Year Founded | Founder(s) | Key Leader (TN Unit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | INC | Indian National Congress (இந்திய தேசிய காங்கிரஸ்) | 1885 | Allan Octavian Hume | K. Selvaperunthagai |
| National | CPI | Communist Party of India (இந்திய கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சி) | 1925 | M. N. Roy, Abani Mukherji, etc. | M. Veerapandian |
| RUPP / National | AIFB | All India Forward Bloc (அகில இந்திய பார்வர்டு பிளாக்) | 1939 | Subhas Chandra Bose | P. V. Kathiravan |
| State | DMK | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகம்) | 1949 | C. N. Annadurai | M. K. Stalin |
| National | RPI | Republican Party of India (ரிபப்ளிகன் கட்சி ஆஃப் இந்தியா) | 1957 | B. R. Ambedkar (Posthumously formed by followers like N. Sivaraj) | C. K. Thamizharasan |
| National | CPI(M) | Communist Party of India (Marxist) (இந்திய கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சி (மார்க்சிஸ்ட்)) | 1964 | Split from CPI (Prominent leaders: E. M. S. Namboodiripad, A. K. Gopalan) | Shanmugam |
| State | AIADMK | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (அனைத்திந்திய அண்ணா திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகம்) | 1972 | M. G. Ramachandran | Edappadi K. Palaniswami |
| RUPP | PBK | Puratchi Bharatham Katchi (புரட்சி பாரதம் கட்சி) | 1978 | Poovai M. Moorthy (Initially Ambedkar Mandram) | M. Jegan Moorthy |
| National | BJP | Bharatiya Janata Party (பாரதிய ஜனதா கட்சி) | 1980 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L. K. Advani | Nainar Nagendran |
| State | VCK | Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (விடுதலைச் சிறுத்தைகள் கட்சி) | 1982 | D. Thirumavalavan (Later Thol. Thirumavalavan) | Thol. Thirumavalavan |
| National | BSP | Bahujan Samaj Party (பகுஜன் சமாஜ் கட்சி) | 1984 | Kanshi Ram | P. Anandan |
| RUPP | PMK | Pattali Makkal Katchi (பாட்டாளி மக்கள் கட்சி) | 1989 | S. Ramadoss | Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss |
| RUPP | MDMK | Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (மறுமலர்ச்சி திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகம்) | 1994 | Vaiko | Vaiko |
| RUPP | INL | Indian National League (இந்திய தேசிய லீக்) | 1994 | Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait | M. Muniriththin Sharief |
| RUPP | TMC(M) | Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) (தமிழ் மாநில காங்கிரஸ் (மூப்பனார்)) | 1996 | G. K. Moopanar | G. K. Vasan |
| RUPP | PT | Puthiya Tamilagam (புதிய தமிழகம் கட்சி) | 1997 | Dr. K. Krishnasamy | Dr. K. Krishnasamy |
| RUPP | TMMK | Thamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (தமிழக மக்கள் முன்னேற்றக் கழகம்) | 2000 | B. John Pandian | B. John Pandian |
| RUPP | PNK | Puthiya Needhi Katchi (புதிய நீதி கட்சி) | 2001 | A. C. Shanmugam (Initially Needhi Katchi) | A. C. Shanmugam |
| State (Other States) | IUML | Indian Union Muslim League (இந்தியன் யூனியன் முஸ்லிம் லீக்) | 2005 (In TN) | K. M. Kader Mohideen (TN Leader) | K. M. Kader Mohideen |
| RUPP | DMDK | Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (தேசிய முற்போக்கு திராவிடக் கழகம்) | 2005 | Vijayakant | Premalatha Vijayakant |
| RUPP | MMK | Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (மனிதநேய மக்கள் கட்சி) | 2009 | M. H. Jawahirullah | M. H. Jawahirullah |
| RUPP | NTK | Naam Tamilar Katchi (நாம் தமிழர் கட்சி) | 2010 | Seeman | Seeman |
| RUPP | IJK | Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (இந்திய ஜனநாயகக் கட்சி) | 2010 | T. R. Paarivendhar | T. R. Paarivendhar |
| RUPP | ATP | Adhi Thamizhar Peravai (ஆதித்தமிழர் பேரவை) | ~2011 (Active since) | R. Athiyaman | R. Athiyaman |
| RUPP | TVK | Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (தமிழக வாழ்வுரிமைக் கட்சி) | 2012 | T. Velmurugan | T. Velmurugan |
| National | AAP | Aam Aadmi Party (ஆம் ஆத்மி கட்சி) | 2012 | Arvind Kejriwal | S. A. N. Vasikaran |
| RUPP | KMDK | Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (கொங்குநாடு மக்கள் தேசிய கட்சி) | 2013 | E. R. Eswaran | E. R. Eswaran |
| RUPP | MNM | Makkal Needhi Maiam (மக்கள் நீதி மய்யம்) | 2018 | Kamal Haasan | Kamal Haasan |
| RUPP | AMMK | Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (அம்மா மக்கள் முன்னேற்றக் கழகம்) | 2018 | T. T. V. Dhinakaran | T. T. V. Dhinakaran |
| RUPP | SDPI | Social Democratic Party of India (சோசியல் டெமாக்ரடிக் பார்ட்டி ஆப் இந்தியா) | 2009 (National) | E. Aboobacker, etc. | V. M. S. Mohamed Mubarak |
| RUPP (New) | TVK | Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (தமிழக வெற்றிக் கழகம்) | 2024 | C. Joseph Vijay | C. Joseph Vijay |
| Voter Option | NOTA | None of the Above (மேற்கூறிய எதுவும் இல்லை) | 2013 (Introduced by ECI) | (N/A) | (N/A) |
Understanding Party Status: RUPP, State, and National
The Election Commission of India (ECI) classifies all registered political parties based on their electoral performance, which determines the privileges they receive, particularly regarding election symbols.
Registered Unrecognized Political Parties (RUPP)
A Registered Unrecognized Political Party (RUPP) is a political association that is formally registered with the ECI under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, but has not yet met the required criteria (votes and seats) to be recognized as a State or National Party. RUPPs like the new TVK and established parties like NTK do not receive a permanently reserved election symbol. Instead, their candidates must choose a ‘common symbol’ from a list of free symbols released by the ECI for a specific election. This status is the starting point for most new and smaller parties.
State Party
A party is recognized as a State Party (or Regional Party) in a particular state if it meets one of several ECI criteria, such as securing 6% of the valid votes in a general election along with a minimum of two Assembly seats or one Lok Sabha seat from that state. Parties like the DMK, AIADMK, and VCK are recognized State Parties in Tamil Nadu. The primary benefit of this status is the exclusive, reserved election symbol (e.g., Rising Sun, Two Leaves) in that state, which helps with voter recognition.
National Party
A National Party must demonstrate a significant presence across at least four states. The criteria include complex performance thresholds, such as securing 6% of the valid votes in four or more states in a General Election and winning four Lok Sabha seats, or being recognized as a State Party in four or more states. Parties like the BJP, INC, and BSP hold National Party status. This classification grants the party an exclusive reserved symbol across the entire country and allows them to nominate up to 40 Star Campaigners.
Voter Option: None of the Above (NOTA)
NOTA, short for None of the Above (மேற்கூறிய எதுவும் இல்லை), is a voting option introduced by the ECI in 2013 following a Supreme Court directive. It allows a voter to formally register their disapproval or rejection of all contesting candidates in the constituency without violating the secrecy of their vote. While NOTA votes are counted and reported, they currently do not affect the election result; the candidate with the highest number of votes (excluding NOTA) is declared the winner. It functions primarily as an instrument of protest and a measure of voter dissatisfaction.
Last updated on: December 15, 2025