# 1971 Indian general election in Tamil Nadu

The 1971 Indian general election polls in Tamil Nadu were held for 39 seats in the state. After winning in 1967, DMK supported the Congress party under Indira Gandhi, and the 25 DMK MPs, ensured her to stay in power as a minority government, from 1969 to 1971. This state was crucial for Indira Gandhi to hold, in order for her to stay in power. The result was a victory for Indian National Congress (Indira) and its ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam winning 38 seats (with 5 seats going to the Left Front), while Opposition Congress and Swatantra Party could only win 1 seat. DMK won every seat it contested except the seat contested by K. Kamarajar in Nagercoil.

## Seat Allotment
### Progressive Front

| No. | Party | Leader | Seats |
| 1. | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | M. Karunanidhi | 24 |
| 2. | Indian National Congress (R) | Indira Gandhi | 9 |
| 3. | Communist Party of India | Shripad Amrit Dange | 4 |
| 4. | All India Forward Bloc | P. K. Mookiah Thevar | 1 |
| 5. | Indian Union Muslim League | Muhammed Ismail | 1 |

### Democratic Front

| No. | Party | Leader | Seats |
| 1. | Indian National Congress (Organization) | K. Kamaraj | 29 |
| 2. | Swatantra Party | C. Rajagopalachari | 9 |
| 3. | Samyukta Socialist Party | George Fernandes | 1 |

## Voting and results

| Alliance | Alliance | Party | Party | Popular Vote | Percentage | Swing | Seats won | Seat Change |
| | Progressive Front | | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 5,622,758 | 35.25% | 0.53% | 23 | 2 |
| | Progressive Front | | Indian National Congress (Requistionist) | 1,995,567 | 12.51% | 29.18% | 9 | 6 |
| | Progressive Front | | Communist Party of India | 866,399 | 5.43% | 3.74% | 4 | 4 |
| | Progressive Front | | All India Forward Bloc | 208,431 | 1.31% | | 1 | |
| | Progressive Front | | Independents | 175,940 | 1.10% | 0.07% | 1 | |
| | Progressive Front | | Total | 8,869,095 | 55.60% | 24.73% | 38 | 9 |
| | Democratic Front | | Indian National Congress (Organisation) | 4,853,534 | 30.43% | new party | 1 | new party |
| | Democratic Front | | Swatantra Party | 1,479,693 | 9.28% | 0.12% | 0 | 6 |
| | Democratic Front | | Samyukta Socialist Party | 141,605 | 0.89% | new party | 0 | new party |
| | Democratic Front | | Total | 6,474,832 | 40.60% | 31.44% | 1 | 5 |
| | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | 260,833 | 1.64% | 5.21% | 0 | 4 |
| | Independents | Independents | Independents | 344,452 | 2.16% | 1.00% | 0 | |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 15,949,212 | 100.00% | | 39 | |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 15,949,212 | 96.28% | 96.28% | 96.28% | 96.28% |
| Invalid Votes | Invalid Votes | Invalid Votes | Invalid Votes | 616,437 | 3.72% | 3.72% | 3.72% | 3.72% |
| Total Votes | Total Votes | Total Votes | Total Votes | 16,565,649 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Registered Voters/Turnout | Registered Voters/Turnout | Registered Voters/Turnout | Registered Voters/Turnout | 23,064,983 | 71.82% | 4.74% | 4.74% | 4.74% |

## List of Elected MPs

| Constituency | Winner | Party | Margin | Runner-up$^a$ | Party$^a$ |
| Madras North | Krishnan Manoharan | DMK | 51,594 | S. G. Vinayaga Moorthy | NCO |
| Madras South | Murasoli Maran | DMK | 20,341 | Narasimhan | SWA |
| Sriperumbudur (SC) | T. S. Lakshmanan | DMK | 100,046 | P. Kakkan | NCO |
| Chengalpattu | C. Chitti Babu | DMK | 118,756 | P. M. Muthukumarappa | NCO |
| Tiruttani | O. V. Alagesa Mudaliar | INC | 84,105 | P. Ramachandran | NCO |
| Vellore (SC) | R. P. Ulaganambi | DMK | 85,321 | T. Manavalan | NCO |
| Tiruppattur | C. K. Chinnaraji Gounder | DMK | 55,063 | N. Parthasarathy | SWA |
| Vandavasi | G. Viswanathan | DMK | 87,955 | A. Krishnaswamy | NCO |
| Tindivanam | M. R. Lakshmi Narayanan | INC | 61,475 | M. P. Radhakrishnan | SWA |
| Cuddalore | S. Radhakrishnan | INC | 36,487 | R. Muthukumaran | NCO |
| Chidambaram (SC) | V. Mayavan | DMK | 22,398 | L. Elaya Perumal | NCO |
| Kallakurichi | M. Deiveekan | DMK | 21,976 | K. Veerasamy | NCO |
| Krishnagiri | T. Thirthagiri Gounder | INC | 34,920 | T. M. Thirupathy | SWA |
| Salem | E. R. Krishnan | DMK | 54,796 | M. P. Subramanyam | NCO |
| Mettur | G. Bhuvarahan | INC | 66,140 | K. Ramamurthy | NCO |
| Tiruchengode | M. Muthusami | DMK | 60,047 | T. M. Kaliannan | NCO |
| Nilgiris | J. Matha Gowder | DMK | 61,094 | Akkamma Devi | NCO |
| Coimbatore | K. Baladhandayutham | CPI | 77,053 | Ramaswamy | NCO |
| Pollachi | Narayanan | DMK | 126,206 | K. R. Nallasivam | SSP |
| Dharapuram (SC) | C. T. Dhandapani | DMK | 116,186 | K. Paramalai | NCO |
| Gobichettipalayam | P. A. Saminathan | DMK | 60,492 | E. V. K. Sampath | NCO |
| Periyakulam | S. M. Muhammed Sheriff | IND/IUML | 41,925 | H. Ajmal Khan | SWA |
| Dindigul | M. Rajangam | DMK | 97,635 | M. Cheemachamy | SWA |
| Madurai | R. V. Swaminathan | INC | 72,359 | S. Chinnakaruppa Thevar | NCO |
| Karur | K. Gopal | INC | 73,293 | V. Ramanathan | NCO |
| Tiruchirappalli | M. Kalyanasundaram | CPI | 20,550 | S. P. Thangavelu | NCO |
| Perambalur (SC) | A. Durairaju | DMK | 61,569 | M. Ayyakannu | NCO |
| Pudukkottai | K. Veeriah | DMK | 48,395 | R. Vijaya Raghunatha Thondaiman | NCO |
| Kumbakonam | Era Sezhiyan | DMK | 38,753 | C. R. Ramasamy | NCO |
| Mayuram | K. Subravelu | DMK | 66,373 | K. Rajangam | NCO |
| Nagapattinam | M. Kathamuthu | CPI | 87,727 | V. Sabasivam | NCO |
| Thanjavur | S. D. Somasundaram | DMK | 100,008 | R. Krishnasamy Gopalar | NCO |
| Sivaganga | Tha. Kiruttinan | DMK | 100,008 | Kannappa Valliappan | NCO |
| Ramanathapuram | P. K. Mookiah Thevar | FBL | 69,155 | S. Balakrishnan | NCO |
| Sivakasi | V. Jeyalakshmi | INC | 85,662 | R. Gopalakrishnan | SWA |
| Tirunelveli | S. A. Muruganantham | CPI | 59,937 | S. Palaniswaminathan | SWA |
| Tenkasi (SC) | A. M. Chellachami | INC | 68,910 | R. S. Arumugam | NCO |
| Tiruchendur | M. S. Sivasamy | DMK | 26 | M. Mathias | SWA |
| Nagercoil | K. Kamaraj | NCO | 100,553 | M. C. Balan | DMK |