Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam

Indian political party

Political party in India

Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam

Leader| Best .S.Ramasamy Gounder
Founded| 2001
Headquarters| Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Ideology| Indigenism
Social conservatism
Political position| Centre-right
ECI Status| registered Unrecognised Party
Alliance| DPA (2011,2014-2019)
BJP+ (2011)
AIADMK+ (2019-present)
Party flag
Website
https://www.kongunadumunnetrakazhagam.com/

* Politics of India
* Political parties
* Elections

Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam (KMK) is a caste based political party representing the Kongu Vellala Gounders, a backward caste in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The party's vote base is mainly concentrated in the Kongu Nadu region of Tamil Nadu.[1]

## Origins and platform

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The party launched in the name of "Kongunadu Munnetra Peravai" but later its leaders adopted the already registered name of "Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam". It was launched in 2009 at Coimbatore by the Kongu Vellala Goundergal Peravai, a Gounder caste organisation.[2] Although the party was launched by a Gounder organisation,[3] the party's founder Best Ramasamy dismissed that the party was only for the cause of Kongu Velala Gounders and said that his party will work for the cause of the western Tamil Nadu.[4] The party also claims that it will work for development of the Kongu region.[5]

## 2009 Lok Sabha election

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The party contested in 12 constituencies independently (without alliance) in 2009 lokshaba elections and polled around 6 lakhs (600,000) votes in the Kongu region.[6] Although the party was not able to win any seat still it was considered as a good show by political observers as the party was started only 4 months before the elections. The party mainly contributed for the defeat of all Congress \- Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) alliance candidates in the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu.[7] The party came third in many constituencies ahead of Vijayakanth's Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam.[6]

## 2011 Assembly election

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In the 2011 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, KMK joined hands with DMK and contested 7 seats. It lost in all the 7 seats and in local body elections, the party allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).[8]

## Election history

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Year | Election | Votes polled | Seats contested | Seats won | Alliance with

|
|
|
|
|

2009 | 2009 Indian general election | 5,79,704 | 12 | 0 | \--
2011 | 2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election | 3,70,044 | 7 | 0 | United Progressive Alliance

## See also

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* Kongu Nadu Statehood movement

## References

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1. ^ VIJAYABASKAR, M; WYATT, ANDREW (2013). "Economic Change, Politics and Caste: The Case of the Kongu Nadu Munnetra Kazhagam". Economic and Political Weekly. 48 (48): 103–111\. ISSN 0012-9976. JSTOR 23528935.
2. ^ "Latest Tamilnadu, Indian Political News, Headlines, Information Online". Dinamalar.
3. ^ "The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Beginning with message of conservation". 8 November 2012. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012.
4. ^ "The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : KMP to work for progressive Western Tamil Nadu". 8 November 2012. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012.
5. ^ "Meet 'Best' Ramasamy from Tirupur, Tamil Nadu's new political entrepreneur". 7 May 2009.
6. ^ a b "Gounder consolidation could pose headache to major parties - Times Of India". 4 November 2012. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012.
7. ^ Prasad, Ayyappa (26 November 2010). "DMK bid to wrest Kongunadu". Kalugu Media. Archived from the original on 20 March 2011.
8. ^ BJP ties up with KMK for forthcoming polls

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

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Political parties in India

National parties|

* Aam Aadmi Party
* Bahujan Samaj Party
* Bharatiya Janata Party
* Communist Party of India (Marxist)
* Indian National Congress
* National People's Party

State parties|

* AJSU Party
* All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
* All India Forward Bloc
* All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen
* All India N.R. Congress
* All India United Democratic Front
* Apna Dal (Soneylal)
* Asom Gana Parishad
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* Biju Janata Dal
* Bodoland People's Front
* Communist Party of India
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* Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam
* Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
* Goa Forward Party
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Unrecognized
parties|

* Ahila India Naadalum Makkal Katchi
* All India Rajakulathor Peravai
* Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De)
* Ambedkarite Party of India
* Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam
* Gana Suraksha Party
* Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)
* Apna Dal
* Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)
* Bahujan Mukti Party
* Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh
* Bharatiya Tribal Party
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* Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi
* Goa Vikas Party
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* Hamro Sikkim Party
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* Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party
* Jan Adhikar Party (Loktantrik)
* Jannayak Janta Party
* Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik)
* Jharkhand Party
* Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party
* Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement
* Kerala Congress (Balakrishna Pillai)
* Kerala Congress (Jacob)
* Kerala Congress (Thomas)
* Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi
* Lok Insaaf Party
* Loktantrik Janata Dal
* Mahan Dal
* Makkal Needhi Maiam
* Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
* Marxist Co-ordination Committee
* National Secular Conference
* NISHAD Party
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* Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party
* Swabhimani Paksha
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* Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar)
* Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam
* Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam
* Tamizhaga Murpokku Makkal Katchi
* Telangana Jana Samithi
* Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance
* United Goans Democratic Party
* Uttarakhand Kranti Dal
* Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi
* Vikassheel Insaan Party
* Welfare Party of India

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