Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu
From O.P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar in the Madras Presidency to M.K. Stalin, the CM list is a standing TNPSC sequence question, especially the renaming-era transitions.
Syllabus: GS Unit VI (TN History) and polity questions
| Chief Minister | Tenure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| O.P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar | 1947-1949 | First CM after independence (Madras Presidency) |
| P.S. Kumaraswamy Raja | 1949-1952 | Last CM of Madras Presidency era |
| C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) | 1952-1954 | First CM of Madras State after 1952 elections |
| K. Kamaraj | 1954-1963 | Longest Congress tenure; education reforms, midday meals expansion |
| M. Bhaktavatsalam | 1963-1967 | Last Congress CM of the state |
| C.N. Annadurai | 1967-1969 | First DMK CM; state renamed Tamil Nadu (1969) |
| M. Karunanidhi | 1969-1976, 1989-1991, 1996-2001, 2006-2011 | Five terms across five decades |
| M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) | 1977-1987 | First AIADMK CM; died in office |
| V.N. Janaki Ramachandran | 1988 | First woman CM of Tamil Nadu (23 days) |
| J. Jayalalithaa | 1991-1996, 2001, 2002-2006, 2011-2014, 2015-2016 | Six terms; died in office 2016 |
| O. Panneerselvam | 2001-2002, 2014-2015, 2016-2017 | Three caretaker tenures |
| Edappadi K. Palaniswami | 2017-2021 | AIADMK |
| M.K. Stalin | 2021-present | DMK |
Frequently asked questions
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Compiled from official Tamil Nadu government sources and standard references. Time-sensitive counts carry an as-of note on the page. Sources: TNPSC official notifications. Figures are indicative and may change with each official notification. Data last reviewed: July 2026.
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