# 1998 Indian general election in Tamil Nadu

The 1998 Indian general election polls in Tamil Nadu were held for 39 seats in the state. New elections were called when Indian National Congress (INC) left the United Front government led by I. K. Gujral, after they refused to drop the regional Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party from the government after the DMK was linked by an investigative panel to Sri Lankan separatists blamed for the killing of Rajiv Gandhi. The result was a landslide victory for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) winning 30 seats, which helped result in Atal Bihari Vajpayee being sworn in as the 16th Prime Minister of India. J. Jayalalithaa and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, broke off from their long alliance with Indian National Congress and formed an alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party, by joining the National Democratic Alliance. This state proved to be very important in determining the prime minister, since the 18 seats of AIADMK proved valuable for BJP to hold power. That was short-lived, since the AIADMK left the alliance in less than a year, and BJP lost the vote of confidence resulting in fresh elections being called.

## Seat allotments

Source: Frontline

### National Democratic Alliance

Source: Indian Express
| No. | Party | Leader | Seats |
| 1. | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | J. Jayalalithaa | 23 |
| 2. | Pattali Makkal Katchi | Dr. Ramdoss | 5 |
| 3. | Bharatiya Janata Party | K.N. Laxmanan | 5 |
| 4. | Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Vaiko | 5 |
| 5. | Janata Party | Subramanian Swamy | 1 |
| Unregistered party, whose candidate ran as an independent |||||
| 6. | Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress | Vazhappady K. Ramamurthy | 1 |

### United Front

| No. | Party | Leader | Seats |
| 1. | Tamil Maanila Congress | G. K. Moopanar | 20 |
| 2. | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | M. Karunanidhi | 17 |
| 3. | Communist Party of India | R. Nallakannu | 2 |
* Note: Even though CPI(M) originally wanted to contest in support of the United Front, it decided to contest alone when only 1 seat (Coimbatore) was offered. After the fallout, CPM wanted to contest 6 seats in Tamil Nadu on its own, but eventually only contested 2 seats and decided to support DMK-TMC front in the other 37 seats. This was done to keep out the possibility of any vote splitting that might result in NDA gaining seats.

### Congress alliance

| No. | Party | Leader | Seats |
| 1. | Indian National Congress | K. V. Thangkabalu | 35 |
| 2. | MGR Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Su. Thirunavukkarasar | 3 |
| 3. | United Communist Party of India | Tha. Pandian | 1 |

## Voting and results

| Alliance | Alliance | Party | Party | Popular Vote | Percentage | Swing | Seats won | Seat Change |
| | National Democratic Alliance | | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 6,628,928 | 25.89% | 18.05% | 18 | 18 |
| | National Democratic Alliance | | Pattali Makkal Katchi | 1,548,976 | 6.05% | 4.02% | 4 | 4 |
| | National Democratic Alliance | | Bharatiya Janata Party | 1,757,645 | 6.86% | 3.93% | 3 | 3 |
| | National Democratic Alliance | | Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 1,602,504 | 6.26% | 1.76% | 3 | 3 |
| | National Democratic Alliance | | Janata Party | 266,202 | 1.04% | 0.28% | 1 | 1 |
| | National Democratic Alliance | | Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress | 365,557 | 1.43% | | 1 | 1 |
| | National Democratic Alliance | | Total | 12,169,812 | 47.53% | 29.47% | 30 | 30 |
| | United Front | | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 5,140,266 | 20.08% | 5.55% | 5 | 12 |
| | United Front | | Tamil Maanila Congress | 5,169,183 | 20.19% | 6.81% | 3 | 17 |
| | United Front | | Communist Party of India | 628,360 | 2.45% | 0.12% | 1 | 1 |
| | United Front | | Total | 10,937,809 | 42.72% | 12.24% | 9 | 30 |
| | INC+ | | Indian National Congress | 1,223,102 | 4.78% | 13.48% | 0 | |
| | INC+ | | MGR Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 278,324 | 1.09% | new party | 0 | new party |
| | INC+ | | United Communist Party of India | 10,018 | 0.04% | new party | 0 | new party |
| | INC+ | | Total | 1,511,444 | 5.91% | 12.35% | 0 | |
| | Independents | Independents | Independents | 265,029 | 1.03% | 1.97% | 0 | |
| | Other Parties (10 parties) | Other Parties (10 parties) | Other Parties (10 parties) | 719,704 | 2.81% | 2.91% | 0 | |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 25,603,798 | 100.00% | | 39 | |
| Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | Valid Votes | 25,603,798 | 96.94% | 96.94% | 96.94% | 96.94% |
| Invalid Votes | Invalid Votes | Invalid Votes | Invalid Votes | 806,904 | 3.06% | 3.06% | 3.06% | 3.06% |
| Total Votes | Total Votes | Total Votes | Total Votes | 26,410,702 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Registered Voters/Turnout | Registered Voters/Turnout | Registered Voters/Turnout | Registered Voters/Turnout | 45,577,788 | 57.95% | 8.98% | 8.98% | 8.98% |
†: Seat change represents seats won in terms of the current alliances, which is considerably different from the last election. ‡: Vote % reflects the percentage of votes the party received compared to the entire electorate in Tamil Nadu that voted in this election. Adjusted (Adj.) Vote %, reflects the % of votes the party received per constituency that they contested. Sources: Election Commission of India

## List of Elected MPs

| Sl.No. | Constituency | Winner | Party | Alliance | Margin | Runner-up | Party |
| 1 | Chennai North | C. Kuppusami | DMK | UF | 69,093 | R. T. Sabapathy Mohan | MDMK |
| 2 | Chennai Central | Murasoli Maran$^c$ | DMK | UF | 71,727 | D. Jayakumar | AIADMK |
| 3 | Chennai South | T. R. Baalu$^c$ | DMK | UF | 20,014 | Jana Krishnamurthi | BJP |
| 4 | Sriperumbudur | K. Venugopal | AIADMK | NDA | 23,795 | T. Nagarathinam | DMK |
| 5 | Chengalpattu | Kanchi Panneerselvam | AIADMK | NDA | 22,916 | K. Parasuraman | DMK |
| 6 | Arakkonam | C. Gopal | AIADMK | NDA | 49,488 | A. M. Velu | TMC(M) |
| 7 | Vellore | N. T. Shanmugam | PMK | NDA | 26,405 | T. A. Mohammad Saqhy | DMK |
| 8 | Tiruppattur | D. Venugopal$^c$ | DMK | UF | 274 | S. Krishnamoorthy | AIADMK |
| 9 | Vandavasi | M. Durai | PMK | NDA | 65,075 | L. Balaraman | TMC(M) |
| 10 | Tindivanam | N. Ramachandran Gingee | MDMK | NDA | 31,453 | G. Venkataraman | DMK |
| 11 | Cuddalore | M. C. Dhamodaran | AIADMK | NDA | 27,129 | P. R. S. Venkatesan | TMC(M) |
| 12 | Chidambaram | R. Elumalai | PMK | NDA | 7,955 | V. Ganesan | DMK |
| 13 | Dharmapuri | K. Pary Mohan | PMK | NDA | 99,427 | P. Theertharaman | TMC(M) |
| 14 | Krishnagiri | K. P. Munisamy | AIADMK | NDA | 49,349 | D. R. Rajaram Naidu | TMC(M) |
| 15 | Rasipuram | V. Saroja | AIADMK | NDA | 54,377 | K. Kandasamy | TMC(M) |
| 16 | Salem | Vazhappady K. Ramamurthy | Independent | NDA | 135,880 | R. Devadass | TMC(M) |
| 17 | Tiruchengode | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | AIADMK | NDA | 104,809 | K. P. Ramalingam | DMK |
| 18 | Nilgiris | M. Master Mathan | BJP | NDA | 60,385 | S. R. Balasubramanian | TMC(M) |
| 19 | Gobichettipalayam | V. K. Chinnasamy | AIADMK | NDA | 114,642 | N. Ramasamy | DMK |
| 20 | Coimbatore | C. P. Radhakrishnan | BJP | NDA | 144,676 | K. R. Subbian | DMK |
| 21 | Pollachi | M. Thiyagarajan | AIADMK | NDA | 95,401 | Kovai Thangam | TMC(M) |
| 22 | Palani | A. Ganeshamurthi | MDMK | NDA | 27,437 | S. K. Kaarvendhan | TMC(M) |
| 23 | Dindigul | Dindigul C. Sreenivasan | AIADMK | NDA | 15,199 | N. S. V. Chithan | TMC(M) |
| 24 | Madurai | Subramanian Swamy | JP | NDA | 20,897 | A. G. S. Rambabu | TMC(M) |
| 25 | Periyakulam | R. Muthiah | AIADMK | NDA | 70,580 | R. Gandhimathy | DMK |
| 26 | Karur | M. Thambidurai | AIADMK | NDA | 43,673 | K. Natrayan | TMC(M) |
| 27 | Tiruchirappalli | Rangarajan Kumaramangalam | BJP | NDA | 11,455 | L. Adaikalaraj | TMC(M) |
| 28 | Perambalur | Rajarethinam | AIADMK | NDA | 60,436 | A. Raja | DMK |
| 29 | Mayiladuturai | K. Krishnamoorthy | TMC(M) | UF | 42,456 | P. D. Arulmozhi | PMK |
| 30 | Nagapattinam | M. Selvarasu | CPI | UF | 131,303 | K. Gopal | AIADMK |
| 31 | Thanjavur | S. S. Palanimanickam$^c$ | DMK | UF | 48,204 | L. Ganesan | MDMK |
| 32 | Pudukkottai | Raja Paramasivam | AIADMK | NDA | 30,520 | P. N. Siva | DMK |
| 33 | Sivaganga | P. Chidambaram$^c$ | TMC(M) | UF | 59,141 | K. Kalimuthu | AIADMK |
| 34 | Ramanathapuram | V. Sathiamoorthy | AIADMK | NDA | 24,092 | S. P. Udayappan | TMC(M) |
| 35 | Sivakasi | Vaiko | MDMK | NDA | 134,923 | V. Alagirisamy | CPI |
| 36 | Tirunelveli | M. R. Kadambur Janarthanan | AIADMK | NDA | 6,904 | R. Sarath Kumar | DMK |
| 37 | Tenkasi | S. Murugesan | AIADMK | NDA | 97,267 | M. Arunachalam | TMC(M) |
| 38 | Tiruchendur | Ramarajan | AIADMK | NDA | 46,855 | R. Dhanushkodi Adithan | TMC(M) |
| 39 | Nagercoil | N. Dennis$^c$ | TMC(M) | UF | 29,185 | Pon. Radhakrishnan | BJP |
$^c$-indicates sitting/incumbent M.P. from previous Lok Sabha (1996–1998)

## Post-election Union Council of Ministers from Tamil Nadu

Source: The Tribune

### Cabinet Ministers

| Minister | Party | Lok Sabha Constituency/Rajya Sabha | Portfolios |
| Rangarajan Kumaramangalam | BJP | Tiruchirappalli | Minister of Power and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs |
| M. Thambidurai | AIADMK | Karur | Minister of Law, Justice, and Company Affairs |
| R. Muthiah | AIADMK | Periyakulam | Minister of Surface Transport |
| Vazhappady Ramamurthy | TRC | Salem | Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas |
* Note: R. Muthiah resigned in just 20 days in office, due to his assets coming into question by the high court in Madras. In a year, cabinet ministers M. Thambidurai resigned along with M.R. Janarthanam, who was the replacement of R. Muthiah, as part of AIADMK's withdrawal from NDA, to start up fresh elections in 1999. Vazhappady Ramamurthy also refused to quit his cabinet ministership, and quit his relationship with AIADMK while keeping its relationship with NDA.

### Ministers of State (Independent charge)

| Minister | Party | Lok Sabha Constituency/Rajya Sabha | Portfolios |
| Dalit Elumalai | PMK | Chidambaram | Minister of Health and Family Welfare |

### Ministers of State

| Minister | Party | Lok Sabha Constituency/Rajya Sabha | Portfolios |
| M. R. Kadambur Janarthanan | AIADMK | Tirunelveli | Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension |
| R. K. Kumar | AIADMK | Rajya Sabha (Tamil Nadu) | Minister of Finance |