List of leaders of the house in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly

The leader of the house in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is an elected member of the legislative assembly who leads the ruling party in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The leader of the house in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is the chairperson of the legislative assembly's largest political party, which is part of the government of Tamil Nadu. The government appoints one of the ministers as the leader of the house. Rules of procedure provide that the speaker of the legislative assembly shall consult the leader of the house before allocating time for discussion of certain items of business. The arrangement of government business is his ultimate responsibility. His foremost duty is to assist the speaker in the conduct of business.

Since 1952, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has had 12 leaders of the house. C. Subramaniam of the Indian National Congress (INC) was the first holder of the office of leader of the house in the legislative assembly. V. R. Nedunchezhiyan was the longest-serving leader of the house and was chosen from both Dravidian parties, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which ruled Tamil Nadu for several periods of time. K. Anbazhagan from the DMK has the second-longest tenure, and Subramaniam from the INC has the third-longest tenure. M. Bhakthavatsalam, Nedunchezhiyan, M. Karunanidhi, and O. Panneerselvam also served as leader of the house in the assembly during their respective tenures as chief minister.

The current incumbent has been K. A. Sengottaiyan of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) since 12 May 2026.

List Key Resigned Returned to office after a previous non-consecutive term (7) (4) (2) (1)PortraitName Elected constituencyTerm of officeAssemblySpeakerPolitical partyAssumed officeLeft officeTime in office1C. Subramaniam(1910–2000)Coimbatore East3 May 195231 March 19579 years, 273 days1stJ. Shivashanmugam

N. Gopala MenonIndian National Congressrowspan=3 Kovilpalayam29 April 19571 March 19622ndU. Krishna Rao2M. Bhakthavatsalam(1897–1987)Sriperumbudur29 March 196228 February 19674 years, 336 days3rdS. Chellapandian3V. R. Nedunchezhiyan(1920–2000)Triplicane6 March 196710 February 19691 year, 341 days4thS. P. Adithanar

Pulavar K. GovindanDravida Munnetra Kazhagamrowspan=4 4M. Karunanidhi(1924–2018)Saidapet13 February 196913 August 1969181 days(3)V. R. Nedunchezhiyan(1920–2000)Triplicane14 August 19695 January 19716 years, 100 days16 March 197131 January 19765thK. A. Mathiazhagan

Pulavar K. Govindan5Nanjil K. Manoharan(1929–2000)Palayamkottai4 July 197717 February 19802 years, 228 days6thMunu AdhiAll India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagamrowspan=4 (3)V. R. Nedunchezhiyan(1920–2000)Tirunelveli19 June 198015 November 19847 years, 99 days7thK. RajaramAthoor25 February 19856 January 19888thP. H. Pandian6R. M. Veerappan(1926–2024)Tirunelveli7 January 198830 January 198823 days7K. Anbazhagan(1922–2020)Anna Nagar6 February 198930 January 19911 year, 358 days9thM. TamilkudimaganDravida Munnetra Kazhagam(3)V. R. Nedunchezhiyan(1920–2000)Theni1 July 199113 May 19964 years, 317 days10thSedapatti R. MuthiahAll India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(7)K. Anbazhagan(1922–2020)Harbour22 May 199614 May 20014 years, 357 days11thP. T. R. Palanivel RajanDravida Munnetra Kazhagam8C. Ponnaiyan( 1942)Tiruchengode22 May 200112 May 20064 years, 355 days12thK. KalimuthuAll India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(7)K. Anbazhagan(1922–2020)Harbour17 May 200614 May 20114 years, 362 days13thR. AvudaiappanDravida Munnetra Kazhagam9O. Panneerselvam( 1951)Bodinayakkanur23 May 201127 November 20143 years, 188 days14thD. Jayakumar

P. DhanapalAll India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagamrowspan=6 10Natham R. Viswanathan( 1949)Natham28 November 201411 August 2015256 days(9)O. Panneerselvam( 1951)Bodinayakkanur12 August 201521 May 20161 year, 185 days25 May 201616 February 201715thP. Dhanapal11K. A. Sengottaiyan( 1948)Gobichettipalayam17 February 20173 January 2018320 days(9)O. Panneerselvam( 1951)Bodinayakkanur4 January 20183 May 20213 years, 119 days12Duraimurugan( 1938)Katpadi11 May 20215 May 20264 years, 359 days16thM. AppavuDravida Munnetra Kazhagam(11)K. A. Sengottaiyan( 1948)Gobichettipalayam12 May 2026Incumbent17thJ. C. D. PrabhakarTamilaga Vettri Kazhagam

Timeline

Statistics List of leaders of the house by length of term NamePartyLength of termLongest continuous termTotal duration of leadership1V. R. NedunchezhiyanAIADMK/DMK7 years, 99 days20 years, 127 days2K. AnbazhaganDMK4 years, 362 days11 years 347 days3C. SubramaniamINC9 years, 273 days9 years, 273 days4O. PanneerselvamAIADMK3 years, 188 days8 years 127 days5DuraimuruganDMK4 years, 359 days4 years, 359 days6C. PonnaiyanAIADMK4 years, 355 days4 years 355 days7M. BhakthavatsalamINC4 years, 336 days4 years, 336 days8Nanjil K. ManoharanAIADMK2 years, 228 days2 years 228 days9K. A. SengottaiyanTVK/AIADMK320 days10Natham R. ViswanathanAIADMK256 days256 days11M. KarunanidhiDMK181 days181 days12R. M. VeerappanAIADMK23 days23 days

List by party +Parties by total time-span of their member holding LoHO ( )Political partyNumber of leaders of the houseTotal days of holding LOHO1All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam7 days2Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam4 days3Indian National Congress25357 days4Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam1 days

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

See also History of Tamil Nadu Politics of Tamil Nadu Elections in Tamil Nadu Governor of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Chief Secretariat of Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly

Notes

References