From MGR to Jayalalithaa and Stalin: List of Tamil Nadu chief ministers since 1947

Tamil Nadu's governance features key leaders from Dravidian parties and Congress since 1947. The Chief Minister's role evolved from the Madras Presidency.

Tamil Nadu has been governed by several iconic figures from both the Dravidian parties and the Indian National Congress. Since 1947, the role of the Chief Minister has evolved from leading the Madras Presidency to the state of Tamil Nadu, officially renamed in 1969.

Tamil Nadu (incredible india)

With results of Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu expected on May 4, a look at names, tenure and political affiliations of Chief Ministers of the southern state over the years:

Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu (Post-Independence)

No.	Name of Chief Minister	Period of Tenure	Party Affiliation
1	O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar	23 March 1947 – 6 April 1949	Indian National Congress
2	P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja	6 April 1949 – 10 April 1952	Indian National Congress
3	C. Rajagopalachari	10 April 1952 – 13 April 1954	Indian National Congress
4	K. Kamaraj	13 April 1954 – 2 October 1963	Indian National Congress
5	M. Bhaktavatsalam	2 October 1963 – 6 March 1967	Indian National Congress
6	C. N. Annadurai	6 March 1967 – 3 February 1969	DMK
7	M. Karunanidhi	10 February 1969 – 31 January 1976	DMK
8	M. G. Ramachandran	30 June 1977 – 17 February 1980	AIADMK
9	M. G. Ramachandran (2nd Term)	9 June 1980 – 24 December 1987	AIADMK
10	V. N. Janaki Ramachandran	7 January 1988 – 30 January 1988	AIADMK
11	M. Karunanidhi (2nd Term)	27 January 1989 – 30 January 1991	DMK
12	J. Jayalalithaa	24 June 1991 – 12 May 1996	AIADMK
13	M. Karunanidhi (3rd Term)	13 May 1996 – 13 May 2001	DMK
14	J. Jayalalithaa (2nd Term)	14 May 2001 – 21 September 2001	AIADMK
15	O. Panneerselvam	21 September 2001 – 2 March 2002	AIADMK
16	J. Jayalalithaa (3rd Term)	2 March 2002 – 12 May 2006	AIADMK
17	M. Karunanidhi (4th Term)	13 May 2006 – 15 May 2011	DMK
18	J. Jayalalithaa (4th Term)	16 May 2011 – 27 September 2014	AIADMK
19	O. Panneerselvam (2nd Term)	29 September 2014 – 22 May 2015	AIADMK
20	J. Jayalalithaa (5th Term)	23 May 2015 – 5 December 2016	AIADMK
21	O. Panneerselvam (3rd Term)	6 December 2016 – 16 February 2017	AIADMK
22	Edappadi K. Palaniswami	16 February 2017 – 6 May 2021	AIADMK
23	M. K. Stalin	7 May 2021 – Present	DMK

Here are some key facts about the Tamil Nadu CMs

• Renaming of State: It was during the tenure of C N Annadurai in 1969 that the state was officially renamed from Madras State to Tamil Nadu.
• Longest Serving: M Karunanidhi holds the record for the most terms as Chief Minister, serving five different times across four decades.
• Transition of Power: Since 1967, Tamil Nadu has been exclusively governed by leaders from the DMK or AIADMK, marking a complete shift away from national parties in the state legislature.
• President's Rule: The state has come under President's Rule four times (1976, 1980, 1988, and 1991) due to various political developments and the dismissal of state governments.

Some Historic Welfare Schemes

• Mid-Day Meal Scheme (K Kamaraj): Launched in the 1950s, this revolutionary program provided free meals to school children to boost enrollment and reduce malnutrition.
• Nutritious Noon Meal Scheme (M G Ramachandran): In 1982, MGR expanded the existing meal program by adding eggs and pulses, creating one of the largest nutrition programs in the world.
• Cradle Baby Scheme (J Jayalalithaa): Introduced in 1992 to combat female infanticide, this scheme allowed anonymous parents to hand over female infants to the state for care.
• Amma Canteens (Amma Unavagam) (J Jayalalithaa): Launched in 2013, these state-run subsidized canteens provide low-cost, quality meals to the urban poor and daily wage laborers.
• Varumun Kappom (M Karunanidhi): A massive preventive healthcare initiative involving specialized medical camps conducted across the state to reach rural populations.
• Uzhavar Sandhai (Farmers' Markets) (M Karunanidhi): Established to allow farmers to sell their produce directly to consumers without middlemen, ensuring better prices for both.