DMK traces its roots to the South Indian Liberal Federation (Justice Party) formed in 1916, by P. Natesa Mudaliar and a few others. The Justice Party, whose objectives included social equality and justice, came to power in the first General Elections to the Madras Presidency in 1920.E. Ramasami Naicker ("Periyar"), a popular Tamil reformist leader of the time, had joined Indian National Congress i
n 1919, to oppose what he considered the Brahminic leadership of the party. Naicker's experience at the Vaikom Satyagraha made him to start the Self-Respect Movement in 1926 which was rationalistic and "violently anti-Brahminic". He quit Congress and in 1935, he joined the Justice Party. In the 1937 elections, the Justice Party lost and the Indian National Congress under C. Rajagopalachari ("Rajaji") came to power in Madras Presidency. Rajaji's introduction of Hindi as a compulsory subject in schools led to the anti-Hindi agitations, led by Periyar and his associates
In August 1944, Periyar created the 'Dravida Kazhagham' out of the Justice Party and the Self-Respect Movement at the Salem Provincial Conference. Dravidar Kazhagam, conceived as a movement and not a political party, insisted on an independent nation for Dravidians called Dravida Nadu consisting of areas that were covered under Madras Presidency. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam[edit]
Over the years, many disputes arose between Periyar and his followers. In 1949, several of his followers led by C. Annadurai, decided to split from Dravidar Kazhagham, after an aged Periyar married a young woman Maniammai and anointed his young wife to act as his successor to lead the party, superseding senior party leaders. Sampath, the nephew of Periyar, was considered his political heir. Annadurai, on 17 September 1949 along with V. R. Nedunchezhiyan, K. A. Mathiazhagan, K. Anbazhagan, N. Natarajan, E. Sampath, and thousands of others in Robinson park in Royapuram in Chennai announced the formation of the DMK. In 1953, actor M. G. Ramachandran ("MGR") joined the DMK, popularised the party flag and symbol which at that time stood for succession from India by showing it in his movies. MGR was a member of the DMK, and he was seen as an icon of the DMK and spread its message through films like Adimain Penn and Namnadu. DMK entered the electoral fray rather unsuccessfully in 1957 with even senior leader V. Nedunchezhiyan losing from Salem although M Karunanidhi won after initially having opposed all-Indian government and later supporting only those parties which promised to help its secession from India cause.
