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List of political parties in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has a multi-party system. The Election Commission of India accords recognition to national-level and state-level political parties based upon objective criteria. A recognised political party enjoys privileges like a reserved party symbol, free broadcast time on state-run television and radio, consultation in the setting of election dates, and giving input in setting electoral rules and regulations. Other political parties that want to run in local, state, or national elections must register with the Election Commission of India. The Election Commission of India recognises registered parties as recognised state parties if they meet the relevant criteria following a Lok Sabha or Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election. The recognised-party status is reviewed periodically by the Election Commission of India.

Prior to the 2016 amendment, which went into effect on 1 January 2014, if a political party failed to meet the criteria in the subsequent Lok Sabha or Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, they lost their status as a recognised party. In 2016, the Election Commission of India announced that such a review would take place after two consecutive elections instead of every election. As a result, a political party must retain its recognised party status even if it fails to meet the criteria in the next election. However, if they fail to meet the criteria in the subsequent election following the next election, they would lose their status.

Political party	Flag	Founder	TN unit leader	Seats
Aam Aadmi Party	AAP	26 November 2012	Arvind Kejriwal	S. A. N. Vasigaran	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
Bahujan Samaj Party	BSP	14 April 1984	Kanshi Ram	P. Anandan	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
Bharatiya Janata Party	BJP	6 April 1980	Atal Bihari Vajpayee	Nainar Nagenthran	0 / 39	0 / 18	1 / 234
Communist Party of India (Marxist)	CPI(M)	7 November 1964	E. M. S. Namboodiripad	P. Shanmugam	2 / 39	0 / 18	2 / 234
Indian National Congress	INC	28 December 1885	Allan Octavian Hume	K. Selvaperunthagai	9 / 39	2 / 18	5 / 234
National People's Party	NPP	6 January 2013	P. A. Sangma	G. Srinivasan	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234

Political party	Flag	Founder	Leader	Seats
All India Forward Bloc	AIFB	22 June 1939	Subhas Chandra Bose	P. V. Kathiravan	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnettra Kazhagam	AIPTMMK	24 February 2026	V. K. Sasikala	V. K. Sasikala	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam	AMMK	15 March 2018	T. T. V. Dhinakaran	T. T. V. Dhinakaran	0 / 39	0 / 18	1 / 234
Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi	IJK	28 April 2010	T. R. Paarivendhar	T. R. Paarivendhar	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
Indian National League	INL	23 April 1994	Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait	M. Muniruddin Sharif	0 / 39	0 / 18	2 / 234
Indian Union Muslim League	IUML	1 September 1951	Muhammad Ismail Sahib	K. M. Kader Mohideen	1 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
Makkal Needhi Maiam	MNM	21 February 2018	Kamal Haasan	Kamal Haasan	0 / 39	1 / 18	0 / 234
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam	MDMK	6 May 1994	Vaiko	Vaiko	1 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
Pattali Makkal Katchi	PMK	16 July 1989	S. Ramadoss	Anbumani Ramadoss	0 / 39	1 / 18	4 / 234
Puratchi Bharatham Katchi	PBK	26 January 1978	Poovai M. Moorthy	M. Jagan Moorthy	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
Puthiya Tamilagam	PT	15 December 1997	K. Krishnasamy	K. Krishnasamy	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
Social Democratic Party of India	SDPI	21 June 2009	Erappungal Abubacker	V. M. S. Mohamed Mubarak	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
Tamil Maanila Bahujan Samaj Party	TMBSP	5 July 2025	Porkodi Armstrong	Porkodi Armstrong	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234
Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar)	TMC(M)	29 March 1996	G. K. Moopanar	G. K. Vasan	0 / 39	0 / 18	0 / 234

Elections in India
Elections in Tamil Nadu
List of political parties in India

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