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.
| 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 |
Tenure counts are the other staple: M. Karunanidhi's five terms and J. Jayalalithaa's six, plus the two CMs who died in office, MGR (1987) and Jayalalithaa (2016).
Frequently asked questions
Who was the first Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu?
Who was the first woman CM of Tamil Nadu?
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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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