Chennai: In existence for the past 42 years and has been in power for much of that period, the AIADMK’s 43rd anniversary was just as filled with drama as its colourful past.
Party supremo and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa who had been convicted in a disproportionate wealth case and spent three weeks in prison when she her governance was at its peak, was released on Friday paving way for jubiliant celebrations among cadres.
Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was formed on October 17, 1972 by late matinee idol and former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran after he had a faceoff with his party comrade and then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi over financial matters when the DMK government was in power. MGR resigned from the post of party treasurer and started his fledgling party.
When he split from the DMK, he was accompanied by just two MPs and five MLAs who joined the new party. Thanks to MGR’s popularity, the party soon garnered 17 lakh supporters and won its first assembly seat in the 1973 Lok Sabha byelection.
In the following year, ADMK contested the Puducherry assembly election and captured power. The party ruled the union territory for two years from 1974. It was the first time an ADMK government was formed.
When the 1977 assembly election took place, ADMK stormed to power trouncing its rival DMK and its chief MGR became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
He continued to hold the post until his death in 1987 that left the party in shatters. During this period, the party expanded its role in national politics and was renamed All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
After MGR’s death, the party split into two with MGR’s political protégé Jayalalithaa and his wife Janaki forming rival outfits. The party faced its worst defeat in the ensuing assembly elections held in 1989 with both the factions getting only 28 seats together.
Two years later, the party united together under its ‘Two leaves’ symbol and rode back to power with Jayalalithaa as the Chief Minister in 1991. Since then, the AIADMK has formed governments in 2001 and again in 2011.
