The eighth legislative assembly election for Tamil Nadu was held on 24 December 1984. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) won the election and its general secretary, incumbent M. G. Ramachandran (M.G.R) was sworn in as Chief Minister, for the third time. The election victory was mainly attributed to the sympathy wave created by Indira Gandhi's assassination and M.G.R's illness coupled with Rajiv Gandhi's popularity. This is the last election M.G.R contested as he died in office in 1987. This is also the only general election which M. Karunanidhi did not contest since 1957 until his death, as he sought to avoid a direct, disadvantageous contest due to a volatile political climate. As now, this is the last election where the ruling party gained seats. All ministers from the outgoing Ramachandran cabinet, except M. Vijayasarathy, won and retained their respective constituencies.
Background
Indira Gandhi was assassinated on 31 October 1984. During the same time, M. G. Ramachandran was diagnosed with kidney failure and admitted to a hospital in New York City. Rajiv Gandhi assumed office immediately. Rajiv Gandhi felt that his Government required a fresh mandate from the people, and dissolved the Lok Sabha a year before its actual end of term, for fresh general elections. At the same time, Chief minister of Tamil Nadu, M.G.R. recommended dissolution of Tamil Nadu State Assembly a year ahead of end of term, to use the sympathy wave of Congress, and also check his popularity. Indian National Congress (Indira) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam formed an alliance and contested both general elections.
Parties
National parties Bharatiya Janta Party, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Indian National Congress and Janata Party, state parties All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Indian Congress (J), and registered unrecognised parties Ambedkar Kranti Dal, Gandhi Kamaraj National and Tamil Nadu Congress (K) contested the election.
Seat allocation
The allocation of seats was later dubbed "The M.G.R. formula". Where the regional party would contest 70% of the assembly seats and the national party would be given 70% of the Lok Sabha seats.
This would be the last election M.G.R contested, due to his death during his chief ministership.
Campaigning
M. G. Ramachandran was confined to the hospital. During the campaign, DMK President M. Karunanidhi stated that he would step down if elected and hand over the government to his ailing friend, MGR, who was undergoing treatment in the United States, upon his return after recovery. At the same time, he raised serious doubts about Ramachandran’s health and his ability to govern. He also criticized the AIADMK’s seven-year rule, alleging a rise in poverty and unemployment. He also contended that the MGR's nutritious noon-meal scheme was an expansion of an initiative originally introduced by K. Kamaraj, and declared that the forthcoming election would mark a new chapter in Tamil Nadu’s history.
Launching the Tamil Nadu election campaign at Coimbatore in the absence of MGR, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi stated that India could not ignore the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils and urged the Sri Lankan government to address the crisis. AICC General Secretary G. K. Moopanar clarified that the Congress would not take part in AIADMK ministry. He emphasized that the Congress–AIADMK alliance was formed to secure a mandate against divisive and secessionist forces, adding that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had approved the arrangement based on MGR’s earlier assurances.
Reports indicated that supporters of R. M. Veerappan attempted to sideline then Rajya Sabha MP and Former Propaganda Secretary J. Jayalalithaa within the party. The statements were circulated claiming that she would not campaign. However, following discussions involving Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the Indian National Congress, she was permitted to participate, As both sides realized that open warfare would destroy the party's chances. They agreed to split responsibilities. Veerappan stayed in Chennai to handle the backend machinery, seat sharing with allies, and government logistics. On the other side, Jayalalithaa’s campaign drew large crowds, as many voters sought reassurance regarding MGR’s health. She stated, “The leader is doing well… he will return” (“Thalaivar nalamaga irukkar… meendum varuvaar”) and also appealed to voters by saying, “See MGR in my face” (“En mugathil neengal MGR-ai paarungal”). Beginning on 3 December 1984 from Andipatti Constituency, where MGR was nominated to contest after his signed authorization was obtained in the presence of Ram Dass, a consular agent of the Consulate General of India in New York, alongside Tamil Nadu Health Minister H. V. Hande on November 21 from a hospital in the United States, Jayalalithaa undertook a 21-day statewide tour covering regions including Tirunelveli, Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Coimbatore, Erode, and Salem. She adopted a “question-and-answer” style campaign, addressing public queries and responding to claims by the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regarding MGR’s health. Her campaign was widely reported to have helped compensate for MGR’s absence and contributed to the electoral success of the AIADMK.
"Andavane Un Paadhangalai" ("O God, at Your Feet"), an emotional prayer song from the 1968 MGR-starrer Oli Vilakku, was revived decades later and widely played across Tamil Nadu amid party workers' apprehension over a future without MGR, with the polling day approaching. Slogans such as “Thaayilla pillai-kku oru vote” (“a vote for the motherless child”), “Vaayilla pillai-kku oru vote” (“a vote for the voiceless child”), “Saavukku oru vote” (“a vote for death”), and “Novukku oru vote” (“a vote for the ailing”) were widely used by AIADMK cadres. Video coverage of M.G.R recuperating in hospital, eating meat and gesturing the AIADMK’s “Two Leaves” symbol, edited by S. P. Muthuraman along with Indira Gandhi's assassination were stitched together by AIADMK man in charge of campaigning R. M. Veerappan. He underwent a kidney transplant on 19 December 1987. The video was distributed and played across all over Tamil Nadu. AIADMK also stuck pictures on street walls showing MGR recuperating in hospital. Rajiv Gandhi visited cyclone-hit areas in Tamil Nadu which also created a major political sensation and boosted the alliance. The sympathy wave created by Indira's assassination, M.G.R's illness and Rajiv Gandhi's charisma helped the alliance sweep the election. DMK leader M. Karunanidhi did not contest this election, due to the fact that the AIADMK founder M.G.R was admitted to a hospital in the U.S. and Indira Gandhi being assassinated.
Voting and results
Results by Pre-Poll Alliance
‡: Vote % reflects the percentage of votes the party received compared to the entire electorate 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
Third Ramachandran cabinet
After the General Elections held in December 1984, the Governor appointed Dr. M. G. Ramachandran as Chief Minister heading the new Government with effect from the forenoon of 10 February 1985. The Governor, on the advice of Hon. Chief Minister appointed 16 more Ministers on 14 February 1985.
Janaki's cabinet
After MGR's death, VR Neduncheziyan was sworn in as Acting Chief Minister. But, one week later, the party majority led by R.M.Veerappan supported MGR's widow Janaki to become Chief minister and she was sworn in as Chief minister. Janaki doubled as the finance minister in her Cabinet. The Governor gave V. N. Janaki Ramachandran 30 days time to prove majority support in the house. This was a problem because, 30 MLAs of her own party were supporting J. Jayalalithaa to become the new Chief minister. Hence Janaki had the support of only 105 MLAs in the house of 234, as VR Neduncheziyan's 10 supporters chose to remain neutral and boycott the voting.
Hence, on the day of voting, Speaker PH pandiyan disqualified and dismissed 20 MLAs of opposition party DMK and 15 MLAs of AIADMK (Jayalalithaa faction ) from their MLA posts, due to demeaning behaviour in the house and thus announced that the majority was reduced to a mere 100, as the house then had only 199 members.
Before commencement of oral voting, violence erupted in the house and the speaker was injured. With bleeding head, he announced that Janaki had proved her majority with 105 MLAs and adjourned the house immediately. Then the members of the assembly were escorted out.
The Governor of state refused to accept this voting which was done under suspicious environment and recommended the Central government to dismiss the legislature and hold fresh general elections. The central government accepted the recommendation and the legislature was dissolved by the President.