Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam
@DMDK
Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) (English: National Progressive Dravidian Federation) is a regional political party formed by Tamil film actor Vijayakanth in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, along the lines of the regional Dravidian parties, on 14 September 2005 at Madurai. The party head office is in Koyambedu, Chennai.
This party contested in all 234 seats in the state elections in May 2006 with Vijayakanth contesting in Vridhachalam. The party polled almost 30 lakh votes
(a total of about a 10% share). All the candidates of the DMDK, with the sole exception of Vijayakanth, lost the elections in 2006. In by-elections to Madurai Central assembly constituency, DMDK secured around 17,000 votes, which was 2,000 votes less than All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
DMDK was also able to secure a large number of seats in Local Body elections. Vijaykanth and his party contested in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls as an independent party in all 39 constituencies in the state, winning no seats. The party won 29 seats in the 2011 assembly election and became the official opposition party with
Vijayakanth as the Opposition Leader.