An off-shoot of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is one of the two main regional political parties in the southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Headquartered in Chennai, it is currently the ruling party in Tamil Nadu with its party chief Jayalalithaa Jayaram also serving as head of one of India’s most developed states. The late film star M.G Ramachandran had founded the party in 1972 after breaking away from the DMK.

It was the ruling party in Tamil Nadu from 1977 to 1987 during which Ramachandran was also the chief minister of the state. Following his ill-health and subsequent demise in 1987, the party’s leadership went to his close companion and former movie star Jayalalithaa. However, two factions of the party also emerged – one led by Jayalalithaa and the other ruled by Ramachandran’s wife Janaki.

Jayalalithaa eventually gained control of the party and under her leadership, it was voted to power in 1991 and the former actress also became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. She completed her term despite her tenure being tainted with corruption allegations.

The party lost to the rival DMK in the legislative assembly elections in 1996.

In the 2001 Assembly elections, the party forged a mega alliance with the Indian National Congress, the Tamil Maanila Congress, the Pattali Makkal Katchi and the Left Front and assumed power in Tamil Nadu.

Jayalaithaa was, however, barred from holding office due to proceedings in a disproportionate wealth case which had taken place in her earlier spell as head of the state. She was sworn-in in 2002 after the Supreme Court absolved her of some of the charges.

After losing the 13th Assembly elections in 2006, it was swept to power in 2011 and Jayalalithaa took the chief minister’s oath.

— Research and text by Fatema Imani