Sylvester41C at 15:06, 24 March 2026

2026-03-24T15:06:00Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian political party}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox Indian political party
|party_name = Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam
|colorcode = {{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}
|abbreviation = DMDK
|general_secretary = Premalatha Vijayakanth
|ppchairman =
|loksabha_leader =
|rajyasabha_leader = L. K. Sudhish
|treasurer = L. K. Sudhish
|founder = [[Vijayakant]]
|foundation = {{start date and age|df=y|2005|09|14}}
|headquarters = Captain Aalayam, 125/7, Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, [[Koyambedu]], [[Chennai]] – 600107, [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]].
|students = DMDK Student Wing
|youth = DMDK Youth Wing
|women = DMDK Women's Wing
|labour = Desiya Murpokku Union Federation
|ideology = {{ubl|[[Populism]]|[[Secularism]]|[[Dravidianism]]|[[Social democracy]]}}
|colours = {{colour box|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}} [[Yellow]]
|eci = [[List of political parties in India#State parties|State party]]<ref>{{cite web|title=List of Political Parties and Election Symbols main Notification Dated 18.01.2013|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/ElectoralLaws/OrdersNotifications/ElecSym19012013_eng.pdf|publisher=Election Commission of India|access-date=9 May 2013|location=India|year=2013}}</ref>
| alliance =
* '''Regional Alliances''' [[Secular Progressive Alliance|SPA]] (since 2026)
* '''National Alliance''' [[Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance|INDIA]] (since 2026)
{{hidden|Former Alliances|
*[[AIADMK-led Alliance|AIADMK+]] (2011-2012; 2019-2021; 2024–2026) ([[Tamil Nadu]])
* [[Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam|AMMK+]] (2021) (Tamil Nadu)
* [[National Democratic Alliance|NDA]] (2014-2016; 2019-2021)
* [[People's Welfare Front]] (2016) (Tamil Nadu)}}
|loksabha_seats = {{Composition bar|0|543|hex={{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|rajyasabha_seats = {{Composition bar|1|245|hex={{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|state_seats_name = [[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly]]
|state_seats = {{Composition bar|0|234|hex={{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|no_states = {{Composition bar|0|31|hex={{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|symbol = [[File:Indian Election Symbol Nagara.svg|120px|Nagara]]
|flag = Flag DMDK.png
|website = [https://dmdkparty.com/ www.dmdkparty.com]
}}
{{Dravidian politics-col}}
The '''Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam''' ({{translation|National Progressive Dravidian Federation}}; {{small|abbr.}} '''DMDK''') is an Indian [[Regionalism (politics)|regional]] [[political party]] in the [[Federated state|state]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. It is a [[Dravidian parties|Dravidian party]] founded by the former [[List of leaders of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly]] [[Vijayakant]] (Captain) at [[Madurai]] on 14 September 2005. The party was led by its founder until 14 December 2023 from its date of founding. From 14 December 2023, the DMDK is led by Vijayakant's wife Premalatha Vijayakanth as general secretary of the party. The party served as the main opposition party in the [[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly]] from 27 May 2011 to 21 February 2016. The headquarters of the party is called Captain Aalayam, which is located at Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, [[Koyambedu]], [[Chennai]].

==History==
===Vijayakant era (2005–23)===
{{multiple image
|background color = #FFFFB2
|align = right
|caption_align = center
|direction = vertical
|width = 220
|image1 = Vijaykanth_at_the_Sagaptham_Audio_Launch.jpg
|caption1 = '''Dr. Vijayakant''' Founder of the party
}}
The party was founded on 14 September 2005, as ''Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam'' (DMDK) by the former [[List of leaders of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly]] [[Vijayakant]], a veteran [[Cinema of Tamil Nadu|Tamil film]] star and popular politician. He assumed the responsibility of the founder-president of the party. Ramu Vasanthan, who was the state president of the fans' forum, took charge as the general secretary of the party. On 17 July 2009, he died of a cardiac arrest. In 2014, the party's founder-president, Vijayakant, took over the position that had previously been vacant.

In the [[2006 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|2006 assembly election]], the party contested all 234 seats without an alliance and bagged only one seat with 8.38% of the vote, that of its founder-president Vijayakant from [[Virudhachalam Assembly constituency|Vriddhachalam]] constituency, who served as a member of the [[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly]]. Other candidates of this party who contested in other constituencies in this election failed.

In the [[2009 Indian general election|2009 general election]], it contested 40 seats—39 in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry—without an alliance and lost in all the constituencies with 0.75% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news|title=DMDK improves poll showing|work=The times of India Chennai edition|page=3|date=18 May 2009}}</ref>

Following widespread corruption, a price rise, a power cut, and allegations of nepotism against the [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] government, in the [[2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|2011 assembly election]], the party, in alliance with parties like the left and former [[chief minister of Tamil Nadu]] [[J. Jayalalithaa]]'s [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (AIADMK),<ref>
{{Cite news| title = Vijayakant's party to join hands with AIADMK to 'oust DMK'| url = http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/25/stories/2011022562130100.htm| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110227235337/http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/25/stories/2011022562130100.htm| url-status = dead| archive-date = 2011-02-27| access-date = 2010-02-25 | work = [[The Hindu]]| date = 2011-02-25| location=Chennai, India}}</ref> swept the polls, winning 202 seats, with the DMDK winning 29 out of 40 which it contested, and got the opposition status in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly by making it a second largest party in the legislative assembly next only to its ally AIADMK pushing DMK to third position and Vijayakanth recognized as the leader of the opposition in the assembly. The large victory also earned recognition and a permanent election symbol [[Nagara (drum)|Nagara]] from the [[Election Commission of India]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.dinamalar.com/News_Detail.asp?Id=242863| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520211209/http://www.dinamalar.com/News_Detail.asp?Id=242863| url-status=dead| archive-date=20 May 2011| title=தே.மு.தி.க.,வுக்கு தேர்தல் கமிஷன் அங்கீகாரம்: சின்னத்தை இழக்கிறது பா.ம.க.| publisher=Dinamalar| date=18 May 2011| access-date=18 May 2011}}</ref> Vijayakanth stepped down as leader of the opposition on 21 February 2016, after eight DMDK party MLAs resigned.<ref>
{{Cite news| title = Vijaykant loses Opposition leader post; after 8 rebel MLAs resign| url = https://theregister.co.in/india/vijaykant-dmdk-mla-resign/| access-date = 2016-02-21| location = India| work = Register India}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The party's performance began to deteriorate after the [[2014 Indian general election|2014 general election]]; it fought the [[Lok Sabha]] election in an alliance with the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]-led [[National Democratic Alliance]] (NDA).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oneindia.com/india/confirmed-dmdk-bjp-form-alliance-in-tamil-nadu-for-lok-sabha-polls-1402705.html|title=Confirmed: DMDK-BJP form alliance in Tamil Nadu for LS polls|date=26 February 2014|website=www.oneindia.com}}</ref> [[Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]], [[Pattali Makkal Katchi]], and [[Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi|Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi]] and [[Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi]]'s [[Social Democratic Alliance]] are the other allies of the National Democratic Alliance in [[Tamil Nadu]]. In the NDA alliance, the party had the highest number of seats, which were 14 in number. Despite the big hype, the party lost all 14 seats to AIADMK candidates. But it was the first time in 52 years that the DMK alliance was pushed to third place by the number of seats, and this election gave confidence to most parties that the future of Tamil Nadu lies in a coalition government.

The DMDK decided to run alongside the [[People's Welfare Front]] (PWA) in the [[2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election]], as part of the "Captain Vijayakanth Alliance,"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/tamil-nadu-polls-joining-the-third-front-the-captain-worries-dmk-and-aiadmk/|title=TN polls: Joining the Third Front, Captain Vijayakanth worries DMK and AIADMK|date=23 March 2016}}</ref> which included the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], [[Communist Party of India]], [[Vaiko]]'s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and [[Thol. Thirumavalavan]]'s [[Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi]]. The DMDK performed poorly in the election, not winning even a single constituency and losing deposits in the majority of its seats. It also witnessed a vote swing of -5.49% from the 2011 assembly elections.

In the [[2019 Indian general election|2019 general elections]], after several rounds of talks with different political parties, The move comes after the DMDK’s attempts to make an alliance with the [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]], which has already entered into a pre-poll alliance with the Congress and several others, failed. DMDK contested with the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]-led [[National Democratic Alliance]] (NDA) in [[Tamil Nadu]] for the [[17th Lok Sabha]] polls, along with [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]], [[Pattali Makkal Katchi]], [[Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar)]], and some unrecognized parties. [[Vijayakanth]] wants to prove his vote bank strength in this election, but the party was humiliated and lost all four that it contested out of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The [[Secular Progressive Alliance]] (SPA), a DMK-led alliance consisting of all the major opposition parties in the state, swept the election by winning 38 seats.

In the [[2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|2021 assembly election]], the DMDK, which had the support of the [[Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam]], [[Social Democratic Party of India]], and [[All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen]], lost 60 seats contested and saw a vote percentage swing of -1.96% compared to previous assembly elections. After the election, the DMK emerged as the ruling party, and the AIADMK emerged as the main party of the opposition in the assembly.

On 26 December 2023, Vijayakanth was admitted to [[MIOT International Hospital|MIOT International Hospital, Chennai]], due to pneumonia. After a prolonged illness, he died after testing positive for COVID-19 on 28 December 2023.

===Premallatha Vijayakant era (2023–present)===
On 14 December 2023, the former [[List of leaders of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly]] [[Vijayakant]], announced and appointed Premallatha Vijayakant as the general secretary of the party in the presence of the party's deputy secretaries at the General Council Meeting held in [[Chennai]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Premalatha Vijayakant elected as DMDK general secretary|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/premalatha-vijayakant-elected-as-dmdk-general-secretary/article67637488.ece|access-date=14 December 2023|work=The Hindu|date=28 December 2023}}</ref> Since Vijayakant's demise, the party is being completely led by Premallatha as the general secretary of the party.

In the [[2024 Indian general election|2024 general election]], the DMDK joined the [[AIADMK-led Alliance]] in [[Tamil Nadu]] for the [[18th Lok Sabha]] polls, along with [[Puthiya Tamilagam]] (PT) and the [[Social Democratic Party of India]] (SDPI). The DMDK was contested in five constituencies, including [[Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency|Virudhunagar]], which was contested by V. Vijaya Prabhakaran, the party's founder [[Vijayakant]] and the general secretary Premallatha Vijayakant's son. The party lost in all the constituencies it contested, and the [[Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance]] swept the election in Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{cite web|date=2024-06-04|title=Tamil Nadu election results 2024: DMK alliance sweeps Cuddalore, Villupuram, and Kallakurichi|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/dmk-alliance-sweeps-cuddalore-villupuram-and-kallakurichi/article68251459.ece#:~:text=The%20DMK%2Dled%20alliance%20made,contestants%20from%20the%20region%20%2D%20M.K.|access-date=2024-06-04|website=The Hindu|language=en}}</ref>

The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) has allied with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

DMDK leader Premallatha Vijayakant confirmed the decision after meeting Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, saying it fulfilled late founder Vijayakant’s wish.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/dmdk-joins-dmk-alliance-ahead-of-tamil-nadu-polls/articleshow/128541801.cms
|title=DMDK joins DMK alliance ahead of Tamil Nadu polls
|website=Times of India
|language=en
|access-date=2026-02-14
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-assembly-election-dmdk-joins-dmk-bloc-alliance-will-win-over-200-seats-says-premalatha-vijayakanth/article70650732.ece
|title=Tamil Nadu assembly election: DMDK joins DMK bloc, ‘will win over 200 seats’, says Premalatha Vijayakanth
|website=The Hindu
|language=en
|access-date=2026-02-14
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/dmdk-joins-dmk-alliance-ahead-of-2026-tamil-nadu-assembly-polls
|title=DMDK joins DMK alliance ahead of 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly polls
|website=The News Minute
|language=en
|access-date=2026-02-14
}}</ref>

==Electoral performance==
===Indian general elections===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+[[File:Lok Sabha.svg|25px]] [[Lok Sabha]] Elections
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Year
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Lok Sabha
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Party leader
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Seats contested
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Seats won
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Change in seats
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Percentage of votes
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Vote swing
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Popular vote
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Outcome
|-
|[[2009 Indian general election|2009]]
|[[15th Lok Sabha|15th]]
|rowspan=3|[[Vijayakant]]
|40
|{{Composition bar compact|0|543|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{steady}}
|0.75%
|{{steady}}
|3,126,117
|rowspan=4 {{lost|Lost}}
|-
|[[2014 Indian general election|2014]]
|[[16th Lok Sabha|16th]]
|14
|{{Composition bar compact|0|543|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{steady}}
|0.38%
|{{decrease}} 0.37%
|2,078,843
|-
|[[2019 Indian general election|2019]]
|[[17th Lok Sabha|17th]]
|4
|{{Composition bar compact|0|543|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{steady}}
|0.15%
|{{decrease}} 0.23%
|929,590
|-
|[[2024 Indian general election|2024]]
|[[18th Lok Sabha|18th]]
|Premallatha Vijayakant
|5
|{{Composition bar compact|0|543|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{steady}}
|0.17%
|{{increase}} 0.02%
|1,128,616
|}

===State legislative assembly elections===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+[[File:TamilNadu Logo.svg|25px]] [[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly]] Elections<ref name="TN_Results">{{cite web|url=https://old.eci.gov.in/files/category/90-tamil-nadu/|title=Tamil Nadu Assembly Election Results|date=September 2021 |publisher=[[Election Commission of India]]|access-date=5 April 2022}}</ref>
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Year
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Assembly
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Party leader
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Seats contested
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Seats won
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Change in seats
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Percentage of votes
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Vote swing
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Popular vote
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Outcome
|-
|[[2006 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|2006]]
|[[13th Tamil Nadu Assembly|13th]]
|rowspan=4|[[Vijayakant]]
|234
|{{Composition bar compact|1|234|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{increase}} 1
|8.38%
|{{steady}}
|2,764,223
|{{partial|Others}}
|-
|[[2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|2011]]
|[[14th Tamil Nadu Assembly|14th]]
|41
|{{Composition bar compact|29|234|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{increase}} 28
|7.88%
|{{decrease}} 0.50%
|2,903,828
|style="background:#FFA07A;"|Opposition
|-
|[[2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|2016]]
|[[15th Tamil Nadu Assembly|15th]]
|104
|{{Composition bar compact|0|234|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{decrease}} 29
|2.39%
|{{decrease}} 5.49%
|1,034,384
|rowspan=2 {{lost|Lost}}
|-
|[[2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|2021]]
|[[16th Tamil Nadu Assembly|16th]]
|60
|{{Composition bar compact|0|234|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{steady}}
|0.43%
|{{decrease}} 1.96%
|200,157
|-
|[[2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|2026]]
|[[17th Tamil Nadu Assembly|17th]]
|Premallatha Vijayakant
|colspan=7 {{TBA}}
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+[[File:Emblem of the Government of Puducherry.png|25px]] [[Puducherry Legislative Assembly]] Elections<ref name="PY_Results">{{cite web|url=https://old.eci.gov.in/files/category/87-puducherry/|title=Puducherry Assembly Election Results|date=3 June 2021 |publisher=[[Election Commission of India]]|access-date=5 April 2022}}</ref>
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Year
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Assembly
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Party leader
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Seats contested
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Seats won
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Change in seats
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Percentage of votes
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Vote swing
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Popular vote
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Outcome
|-
|[[2006 Puducherry Legislative Assembly election|2006]]
|12th
|rowspan=4|[[Vijayakant]]
|24
|{{Composition bar compact|0|30|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{steady}}
|2.73%
|{{Steady}}
|15,405
|rowspan=4 {{lost|Lost}}
|-
|[[2011 Puducherry Legislative Assembly election|2011]]
|13th
|1
|{{Composition bar compact|0|30|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{steady}}
|0.85%
|{{decrease}} 1.88%
|5,966
|-
|[[2016 Puducherry Legislative Assembly election|2016]]
|[[14th Puducherry Assembly|14th]]
|6
|{{Composition bar compact|0|30|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{steady}}
|0.11%
|{{decrease}} 0.74%
|850
|-
|[[2021 Puducherry Legislative Assembly election|2021]]
|[[15th Puducherry Assembly|15th]]
|26
|{{Composition bar compact|0|30|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{steady}}
|0.30%
|{{increase}} 0.19%
|2,524
|-
|[[2026 Puducherry Legislative Assembly election|2026]]
|[[16th Puducherry Assembly|16th]]
|Premallatha Vijayakant
|colspan=7 {{TBA}}
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+[[File:Seal of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.svg|25px]] [[Delhi Legislative Assembly|National Capital Territory of Delhi Legislative Assembly]] Elections<ref name="DL_Results">{{cite web|url=https://old.eci.gov.in/files/category/70-tamil-nadu/|title=Delhi Assembly Election Results|date=27 May 2020 |publisher=[[Election Commission of India]]|access-date=5 April 2022}}</ref>
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Year
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Assembly
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Party leader
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Seats contested
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Seats won
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Change in seats
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Percentage of votes
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Vote swing
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Popular vote
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Outcome
|-
|[[2013 Delhi Legislative Assembly election|2013]]
|[[5th Delhi Assembly|5th]]
|[[Vijayakant]]
|11
|{{Composition bar compact|0|70|{{party color|Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}}}
|{{Steady}}
|0.03%
|{{Steady}}
|2,285
|{{lost|Lost}}
|}

==Current office bearers and prominent members==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; background:#FFFFE5"
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Member
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Position in government
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Party position
|-
|Premallatha Vijayakant
|style="text-align:center"|{{steady}}
|General Secretary
|-
|V. Elangovan
|style="text-align:center"|{{steady}}
|Presidium Chairman
|-
|L. K. Sudhish
|style="text-align:center"|{{steady}}
|Treasurer
|-
|[[Alagaapuram R. Mohanraj]]
|
*Former [[List of leaders of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly#List of deputy leaders of the opposition|Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly]]
*Former [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member]] of the [[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|Legislative Assembly]] from [[Salem North Assembly constituency|Salem North]]
|Propaganda Secretary
|-
|[[B. Parthasarathy]]
|
*Former [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member]] of the [[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|Legislative Assembly]] from [[Virugampakkam Assembly constituency|Virugampakkam]]
|Deputy General Secretary
|-
|Selva Anburaj
|style="text-align:center"|{{steady}}
|Captain Manram Secretary
|-
|V. Vijayaprabhakaran
|style="text-align:center"|{{steady}}
|Youth Wing Secretary
|-
|Malathi Vinoth
|style="text-align:center"|{{steady}}
|Women's Wing Secretary
|-
|[[S. Senthilkumar (Thiruverumbur politician)|S. Senthilkumar]]
|
*Former [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member]] of the [[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|Legislative Assembly]] from [[Thiruverumbur Assembly constituency|Thiruverumbur]]
|Information Technology Wing Secretary
|-
|M. R. Panneerselvam
|style="text-align:center"|{{steady}}
|Advocates Wing Secretary
|-
|A. M. Shanmuga Sundaram
|style="text-align:center"|{{steady}}
|Students' Wing Secretary
|-
|K. Shanmugavel
|style="text-align:center"|{{steady}}
|Trade Wing Secretary
|-
|V. Meenakshisundaram
|style="text-align:center"|{{steady}}
|Weaver's Wing Secretary
|}

==List of party leaders==
===Presidents===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|No.
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Portrait
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Name {{small|(Birth–Death)}}
!colspan=3 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Term in office
|-
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Assumed office
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Left office
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Time in office
|-
!1
|[[File:Vijaykanth at the Sagaptham Audio Launch.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Vijayakant]]''' (1952–2023)
|14 September 2005
|28 December 2023
|18 years, 105 days
|}

===General Secretaries===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|No.
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Portrait
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Name {{small|(Birth–Death)}}
!colspan=3 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Term in office
|-
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Assumed office
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Left office
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Time in office
|-
!1
|[[File:Blank.svg|100px]]
|'''S. Ramu Vasanthan''' (1955–2009)
|14 September 2005
|17 July 2009
|3 years, 306 days
|-
!2
|[[File:Vijaykanth at the Sagaptham Audio Launch.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Vijayakant]]''' (1952–2023)
|1 June 2014
|14 December 2023
|9 years, 196 days
|-
!3
|[[File:Blank.svg|100px]]
|'''Premallatha Vijayakant''' ({{Abbr|b.|born in}} 1969)
|14 December 2023
|''Incumbent''
|{{age in years and days|2023|12|14}}
|}

==Legislative leaders==
===List of leaders of the opposition===
====Leaders of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly====
{{see|Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly}}
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|No.
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Portrait
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Name {{small|(Birth–Death)}}
!colspan=3 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Term in office
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|[[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|{{font color|#000000|#FFFF00|Assembly}}]] {{small|([[Elections in Tamil Nadu|{{font color|#000000|#FFFF00|Election}}]])}}
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Elected constituency
|-
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Assumed office
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Left office
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Time in office
|-
!1
|[[File:Vijaykanth at the Sagaptham Audio Launch.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Vijayakant]]''' (1952–2023)
|27 May 2011
|21 February 2016
|4 years, 270 days
|[[14th Tamil Nadu Assembly|14th]] {{small|([[2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|2011]])}}
|[[Rishivandiyam Assembly constituency|Rishivandiyam]]
|}

===List of deputy leaders of the opposition===
====Deputy Leaders of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly====
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|No.
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Portrait
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Name {{small|(Birth–Death)}}
!colspan=3 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Term in office
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|[[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|{{font color|#000000|#FFFF00|Assembly}}]] {{small|([[Elections in Tamil Nadu|{{font color|#000000|#FFFF00|Election}}]])}}
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Elected constituency
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|[[List of leaders of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|{{font color|#000000|#FFFF00|Leader of the Opposition}}]]
|-
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Assumed office
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Left office
!style="background-color:#FFFF00;color:black"|Time in office
|-
!1
|[[File:Blank.svg|100px]]
|'''[[Panruti S. Ramachandran]]''' ({{Abbr|b.|born in}} 1937)
|27 May 2011
|10 December 2013
|2 years, 197 days
|rowspan=2|[[14th Tamil Nadu Assembly|14th]] {{small|([[2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|2011]])}}
|[[Alandur Assembly constituency|Alandur]]
|rowspan=2|[[Vijayakant]]
|-
!2
|[[File:Blank.svg|100px]]
|'''[[Alagaapuram R. Mohanraj]]''' ({{Abbr|b.|born in}} 1954)
|31 January 2014
|21 February 2016
|2 years, 21 days
|[[Salem North Assembly constituency|Salem North]]
|}

==See also==
*[[Politics of India]]
*[[Elections in India]]
*[[Politics of Tamil Nadu]]
*[[Elections in Tamil Nadu]]
*[[List of political parties in India]]
*[[List of political parties in Tamil Nadu]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons and category}}
*{{official website}}
*[http://in.rediff.com/election/2006/may/08pinter.htm Vijaykanth's interview to rediff.com]
*[https://www.facebook.com/pages/தேமுதிக-தலைமைக்கழக-இணையதள-அணி/685873961437219 தேமுதிக Official Facebook Link]
*{{GovPubs|Desiya%20Murpokku%20Dravida%20Kazhagam|DMDK}}

{{Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam}}
{{Dravidian politics}}
{{Indian political parties}}

[[Category:2005 establishments in Asia]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in India]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam]]
[[Category:Dravidian political parties]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 2005]]
[[Category:Political parties in Asia]]
[[Category:Political parties in Puducherry]]
[[Category:Political parties in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Progressive parties]]
[[Category:Recognised state political parties in India]]
[[Category:Regionalist parties in India]]
[[Category:State political parties in India]]
[[Category:State political parties in Tamil Nadu]][[Category:Former member parties of the National Democratic Alliance]]

Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam - Revision history

Sylvester41C at 15:06, 24 March 2026