# List of leaders of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly

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The Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is an elected Member of Legislative Assembly who leads the official opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is the chairperson of the largest political party in the legislative assembly that is not in government (provided that said political party has at least 10% of the seats in the legislative assembly).
Since 1952, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has had 18 leaders of the opposition. The longest-serving leader of the opposition, J. Jayalalithaa from All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam became the legislative assembly's first and, to date, only female leader of the opposition. She was the first actress to become the leader of the opposition in the state's legislative assembly in India, while Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam's founder Vijayakant is the first actor to become the leader of the opposition in the state's legislative assembly in India. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's former president, M. Karunanidhi, has the second-longest tenure, having held the office for 5 years and 259 days, and S. Balakrishnan from the Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) has the third-longest tenure, having held the office for 4 years and 356 days.
The current incumbent has been Edappadi K. Palaniswami of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam since 11 May 2021.

## List
### Key

* $^{RES}$ Resigned
* $^†$ Died in office
* $^§$ Returned to office after a previous non-consecutive term

### Legend

* Independent
* Communist Party of India
* Indian National Congress
* Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
* Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar)
* Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam
* All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Assembly (Election) | Appointed by | Political party | Political party |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected constituency | Assumed office | Left office | Time in office | Assembly (Election) | Appointed by | Political party | Political party |
| 1 | | T. Nagi Reddy (1917–1976) | Anantapur | 6 May 1952 | 1 October 1953 | 1 year, 148 days | 1st (1952) | J. Shivashanmugam | Communist Party of India | |
| 2 | | P. Ramamurthi (1908–1987) | Madurai North | 14 December 1953 | 31 March 1957 | 3 years, 107 days | 1st (1952) | J. Shivashanmugam | Communist Party of India | |
| 3 | | V. K. Ramaswami (unknown–1984) | Uthiramerur | 29 April 1957 | 18 March 1962 | 4 years, 323 days | 2nd (1957) | U. Krishna Rao | Independent | |
| 4 | | V. R. Nedunchezhiyan (1920–2000) | Triplicane | 29 March 1962 | 28 February 1967 | 4 years, 336 days | 3rd (1962) | S. Chellapandian | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| 5 | | P. G. Karuthiruman (1919–1977) | Sathyamangalam | 15 March 1967 | 5 January 1971 | 3 years, 296 days | 4th (1967) | S. P. Adithanar | Indian National Congress | |
| – | Vacant | Vacant | N/A | 22 March 1971 | 31 January 1976 | 4 years, 315 days | 5th (1971) | No official opposition | No official opposition | |
| 6 | | M. Karunanidhi (1924–2018) | Anna Nagar | 25 July 1977 | 17 February 1980 | 5 years, 259 days | 6th (1977) | Munu Adhi | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| 6 | | M. Karunanidhi (1924–2018) | Anna Nagar | 27 June 1980 | 18 August 1983 | 5 years, 259 days | 7th (1980) | K. Rajaram | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| 7 | | K. S. G. Haja Shareef (unknown–1999) | Triplicane | 29 August 1983 | 15 November 1984 | 1 year, 78 days | 7th (1980) | K. Rajaram | Indian National Congress | |
| 8 | | O. Subramanian (unknown–2000) | Sivaganga | 27 February 1985 | 30 January 1988 | 2 years, 337 days | 8th (1984) | P. H. Pandian | Indian National Congress | |
| 9 | | J. Jayalalithaa (1948–2016) | Bodinayakkanur | 9 February 1989 | 1 December 1989 | 295 days | 9th (1989) | M. Tamilkudimagan | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| 10 | | S. R. Eradha (1934–2020) | Madurai East | 1 December 1989 | 19 January 1991 | 1 year, 49 days | 9th (1989) | M. Tamilkudimagan | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| 11 | | G. K. Moopanar (1931–2001) | Papanasam | 19 January 1991 | 30 January 1991 | 11 days | 9th (1989) | M. Tamilkudimagan | Indian National Congress | |
| 12 | | S. R. Balasubramoniyan (1938–) | Pongalur | 3 July 1991 | 13 May 1996 | 4 years, 315 days | 10th (1991) | Sedapatti R. Muthiah | Indian National Congress | |
| 13 | | S. Balakrishnan (unknown–2006) | Mudukulathur | 23 May 1996 | 14 May 2001 | 4 years, 356 days | 11th (1996) | P. T. R. Palanivel Rajan | Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) | |
| 14 | | K. Anbazhagan (1922–2020) | Harbour | 24 May 2001 | 14 April 2006 | 4 years, 325 days | 12th (2001) | K. Kalimuthu | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| 15 | | O. Panneerselvam (1951–) | Periyakulam | 19 May 2006 | 28 May 2006 | 9 days | 13th (2006) | R. Avudaiyappan | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| (9) | | J. Jayalalithaa (1948–2016) | Andipatti | 29 May 2006 | 14 May 2011 | 4 years, 350 days | 13th (2006) | R. Avudaiyappan | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| 16 | | Vijayakant (1952–2023) | Rishivandiyam | 27 May 2011 | 21 February 2016 | 4 years, 270 days | 14th (2011) | D. Jayakumar | Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam | |
| – | Vacant | Vacant | N/A | 22 February 2016 | 21 May 2016 | 89 days | 14th (2011) | No official opposition | No official opposition | |
| 17 | | M. K. Stalin (1953–) | Kolathur | 4 June 2016 | 3 May 2021 | 4 years, 333 days | 15th (2016) | P. Dhanapal | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| 18 | | Edappadi K. Palaniswami (1954–) | Edappadi | 11 May 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 309 days | 16th (2021) | M. Appavu | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |

### Timeline
## Statistics
### List of leaders of the opposition by length of term

| No. | Name | Party | Party | Length of term | Length of term |
| No. | Name | Party | Party | Longest continuous term | Total years of opposition-ship |
| 1 | J. Jayalalithaa | AIADMK | | 4 years, 350 days | 5 years, 280 days |
| 2 | M. Karunanidhi | DMK | | 5 years, 259 days | 5 years, 259 days |
| 3 | S. Balakrishnan | TMC(M) | | 4 years, 356 days | 4 years, 356 days |
| 4 | V. R. Nedunchezhiyan | DMK | | 4 years, 336 days | 4 years, 336 days |
| 5 | M. K. Stalin | DMK | | 4 years, 333 days | 4 years, 333 days |
| 6 | K. Anbazhagan | DMK | | 4 years, 325 days | 4 years, 325 days |
| 7 | V. K. Ramaswami | IND | | 4 years, 323 days | 4 years, 323 days |
| 8 | S. R. Balasubramoniyan | INC | | 4 years, 315 days | 4 years, 315 days |
| 9 | Vijayakant | DMDK | | 4 years, 270 days | 4 years, 270 days |
| 10 | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | AIADMK | | 3 years, 309 days | 3 years, 309 days |
| 11 | P. G. Karuthiruman | INC | | 3 years, 296 days | 3 years, 296 days |
| 12 | P. Ramamurthi | CPI | | 3 years, 107 days | 3 years, 107 days |
| 13 | O. Subramanian | INC | | 2 years, 337 days | 2 years, 337 days |
| 14 | T. Nagi Reddy | CPI | | 1 year, 148 days | 1 year, 148 days |
| 15 | K. S. G. Haja Shareef | INC | | 1 year, 78 days | 1 year, 78 days |
| 16 | S. R. Eradha | AIADMK | | 1 year, 49 days | 1 year, 49 days |
| 17 | G. K. Moopanar | INC | | 11 days | 11 days |
| 18 | O. Panneerselvam | AIADMK | | 9 days | 9 days |

### List by party

Political parties by total time-span of their member holding LOPO (16 March 2025) :
| No. | Political party | Number of leaders of the opposition | Total days of holding LOPO |
| 1 | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 4 | 7461 days |
| 2 | Indian National Congress | 5 | 4948 days |
| 3 | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 4 | 3935 days |
| 4 | Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) | 1 | 1817 days |
| 5 | Communist Party of India | 2 | 1790 days |
| 6 | Independent | 1 | 1784 days |
| 7 | Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam | 1 | 1731 days |

### Parties by total duration (in days) of holding Leader of the Opposition's Office

* DMK
* INC
* AIADMK
* TMC(M)
* CPI
* IND
* DMDK

## List of deputy leaders of the opposition

| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected Constituency | Political Party | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Opposition Leader | Opposition Leader | Appointed by |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected Constituency | Political Party | Assumed Office | Left Office | Time in Office | Opposition Leader | Opposition Leader | Appointed by |
| 1 | | M. Karunanidhi (1924–2018) | | Thanjavur | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 29 March 1962 | 28 February 1967 | 4 years, 336 days | V. R. Nedunchezhiyan | | S. Chellapandian |
| 2 | | Su. Thirunavukkarasar (1949–) | | Aranthangi | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 9 February 1989 | 19 January 1991 | 1 year, 344 days | J. Jayalalithaa S. R. Eradha | | M. Tamilkudimagan |
| 3 | | Kumari Ananthan (1933–) | | Sathankulam | Indian National Congress | 19 January 1991 | 30 January 1991 | 11 days | G. K. Moopanar | | M. Tamilkudimagan |
| 4 | | Arcot N. Veeraswami (1931–) | | Anna Nagar | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 14 May 2001 | 21 January 2005 | 3 years, 245 days | K. Anbazhagan | | K. Kalimuthu |
| 5 | | Durai Murugan (1938–) | | Katpadi | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 21 January 2005 | 19 May 2006 | 1 year, 118 days | K. Anbazhagan | | K. Kalimuthu |
| 6 | | K. A. Sengottaiyan (1948–) | | Gobicheetipalayam | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 19 May 2006 | 26 May 2006 | 7 days | O. Panneerselvam | | R. Avudaiyappan |
| 7 | | O. Panneerselvam (1951–) | | Periyakulam | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 26 May 2006 | 14 May 2011 | 4 years, 353 days | J. Jayalalithaa | | R. Avudaiyappan |
| 8 | | Panruti S. Ramachandran (1937–) | | Alandur | Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam | 15 May 2011 | 10 December 2013 | 2 years, 209 days | Vijayakanth | | D. Jayakumar |
| 9 | | Alagaapuram R. Mohanraj (1954–) | | Salem North | Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam | 31 January 2014 | 21 February 2016 | 2 years, 21 days | Vijayakanth | | P. Dhanapal |
| 10 | | Durai Murugan (1938–) | | Katpadi | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 25 May 2016 | 6 May 2021 | 4 years, 346 days | M. K. Stalin | | P. Dhanapal |
| 11 | | O. Panneerselvam (1951–) | | Bodinayakanur | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 14 June 2021 | 14 February 2024 | 3 years, 278 days | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | | M. Appavu |
| 12 | | R. B. Udhayakumar (1973–) | | Thirumangalam | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 14 February 2024 | incumbent | 1 year, 30 days | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | | M. Appavu |