Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu
10 people have held the office, across 23 terms, from formation to today.
Every Chief Minister
Most recent first, with a short biography where one is available.
C. Joseph Vijay
Incumbent10 May 2026 – present · 4 months
Chandrasekaran Joseph Vijay (born 22 June 1974) is an Indian politician and former actor who is currently serving as the ninth chief minister of Tamil Nadu since May 2026. He is the founder and president of the political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Prior to entering politics, he was a leading actor in Tamil cinema and among the highest-paid actors in India, having won numerous accolades including multiple Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and South Indian International Movie Awards. Wikipedia →
7 May 2021 – 9 May 2026 · 5 years
Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin (born 1 March 1953) is an Indian politician and statesman who served as the eighth chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 2021 to 2026. He became president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on 28 August 2018, after serving as the party's working president from January 2017 to August 2018. Stalin is the third son of former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi. Wikipedia →
Edappadi K. Palaniswami
16 Feb 2017 – 6 May 2021 · 4 years, 2 months
Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami, popularly known as EPS (born 12 May 1954), is an Indian politician who served as the seventh chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 2017 to 2021. He has been the general secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) since 28 March 2023. Previously, he has served in various leadership roles in the AIADMK since 2016. Wikipedia →
21 Sep 2001 – 15 Feb 2017 · 1 year, 3 months · 3 terms
Ottakarathevar Panneerselvam (born 14 January 1951), popularly known as O. Panneerselvam or OPS, is an Indian politician who was the former 6th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in December 2016 and previously from 2001 to 2002 and from 2014 to 2015. He also served as the deputy chief minister from 2017 to 2021 in the Edappadi K. Palaniswami-led government. As a finance minister, he has presented the state budget of Tamil Nadu 11 times. Wikipedia →
24 Jun 1991 – 5 Dec 2016 · 14 years, 4 months · 5 terms
Jayaram Jayalalithaa (24 February 1948 – 5 December 2016), popularly known as Amma, was an Indian politician and actress who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for six terms spanning more than fourteen years between 1991 and 2016. She was the longest-serving General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the first female chief minister to die in office in India. Regarded as one of the most influential politicians of post-independence India, she was also a prominent film actress, appearing in nearly 140 films between 1961 and 1980 in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada cinema, and winning multiple Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and Filmfare Awards South. Wikipedia →
V. N. Janaki
7 Jan 1988 – 30 Jan 1988 · 23 days
Vaikom Narayani Janaki (30 November 1923 – 19 May 1996), also known as Janaki Ramachandran, was an Indian actress and politician, who served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu in 1988. She was elected as the chief minister after the death of her husband M. G. Ramachandran, who was the leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and served in the post for 24 days. She was the first woman to become the chief minister of the state. Wikipedia →
30 Jun 1977 – 24 Dec 1987 · 10 years, 2 months · 3 terms
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (17 January 1917 – 24 December 1987), popularly known by his initials M. G. R., was an Indian politician, actor, environmentalist and philanthropist who served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 until his death in 1987. He was the founder and first general secretary of the political party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). He is regarded as one of the most influential politicians of post-independent India, and was known by the epithets Makkal Thilagam (Jewel of the People) and Puratchi Thalaivar (Revolutionary Leader). Wikipedia →
10 Feb 1969 – 15 May 2011 · 18 years, 11 months · 5 terms
Muthuvel Karunanidhi (3 June 1924 – 7 August 2018), popularly known as Kalaignar was an Indian politician, writer and screenwriter who served as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for five terms between 1969 and 2011 and was the longest-serving chief minister in the state's history. He was the ten-time president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for nearly five decades and a leading figure in the Dravidian movement. He was noted for his contributions to Tamil literature, which include plays, novels, poems, and a multi-volume memoir. Wikipedia →
3 Feb 1969 – 7 Jan 1988 · 21 days · 2 terms
Vadakkalathur Rajagopal Nedunchezhiyan (11 July 1920 – 12 January 2000) was an Indian politician and writer. He served twice as the acting Chief Minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. He served as a senior cabinet minister under the governments of C. N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, M. G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa. Wikipedia →
C. N. Annadurai
14 Jan 1969 – 3 Feb 1969 · 20 days
Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai (15 September 1909 – 3 February 1969), also known as Perarignar Anna, was an Indian politician who was the founder and first general-secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). He served as the fourth and last chief minister of Madras State from 1967 until 1969, and then as the first chief minister of Tamil Nadu for 20 days before his death in office. He was the first member of a Dravidian party to hold either post. Wikipedia →
Full timeline
Every term and every President's or Governor's Rule interval, most recent first.
| 10 May 2026 – present | C. Joseph Vijay | TVK | 3 months |
| 7 May 2021 – 9 May 2026 | M. K. Stalin | DMK | 5 years |
| 16 Feb 2017 – 6 May 2021 | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | AIADMK | 4 years, 2 months |
| 6 Dec 2016 – 15 Feb 2017 | O. Panneerselvam | AIADMK | 2 months |
| 23 May 2015 – 5 Dec 2016 | J. Jayalalithaa | AIADMK | 1 year, 6 months |
| 28 Sep 2014 – 23 May 2015 | O. Panneerselvam | AIADMK | 7 months |
| 16 May 2011 – 27 Sep 2014 | J. Jayalalithaa | AIADMK | 3 years, 4 months |
| 13 May 2006 – 15 May 2011 | M. Karunanidhi | DMK | 5 years |
| 2 Mar 2002 – 12 May 2006 | J. Jayalalithaa | AIADMK | 4 years, 2 months |
| 21 Sep 2001 – 2 Mar 2002 | O. Panneerselvam | AIADMK | 5 months |
| 14 May 2001 – 21 Sep 2001 | J. Jayalalithaa | AIADMK | 4 months |
| 13 May 1996 – 13 May 2001 | M. Karunanidhi | DMK | 5 years |
| 24 Jun 1991 – 12 May 1996 | J. Jayalalithaa | AIADMK | 4 years, 10 months |
| 30 Jan 1991 – 23 Jun 1991 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 4 months | |
| 27 Jan 1989 – 30 Jan 1991 | M. Karunanidhi | DMK | 2 years |
| 30 Jan 1988 – 26 Jan 1989 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 11 months | |
| 7 Jan 1988 – 30 Jan 1988 | V. N. Janaki | AIADMK | 23 days |
| 24 Dec 1987 – 7 Jan 1988 | V. R. Nedunchezhiyan | AIADMK | 14 days |
| 10 Feb 1985 – 24 Dec 1987 | M. G. Ramachandran | AIADMK | 2 years, 10 months |
| 9 Jun 1980 – 9 Feb 1985 | M. G. Ramachandran | AIADMK | 4 years, 8 months |
| 17 Feb 1980 – 8 Jun 1980 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 3 months | |
| 30 Jun 1977 – 17 Feb 1980 | M. G. Ramachandran | AIADMK | 2 years, 7 months |
| 31 Jan 1976 – 29 Jun 1977 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 1 year, 4 months | |
| 15 Mar 1971 – 31 Jan 1976 | M. Karunanidhi | DMK | 4 years, 10 months |
| 10 Feb 1969 – 14 Mar 1971 | M. Karunanidhi | DMK | 2 years, 1 month |
| 3 Feb 1969 – 10 Feb 1969 | V. R. Nedunchezhiyan | DMK | 7 days |
| 14 Jan 1969 – 3 Feb 1969 | C. N. Annadurai | DMK | 20 days |
The 2026 entry (C. Joseph Vijay, TVK) reflects the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election result and 10 May 2026 swearing-in, confirmed via multiple 2026 news sources since this falls after the researching agent's knowledge cutoff.