With the rise of MGR and his ADMK party, Karunanidhi’s political star declined.

The ADMK won a resounding victory in the 1977 state Legislative Assembly elections and MGR became Chief Minister of the state. Such was MGR’s sway over the masses in Tamil Nadu that until his death, Karunanidhi was relegated to the opposition benches.

In the 1989 elections (held after MGR’s death in December 1987), Karunanidhi’s DMK won handily. He became Chief Minister for the third time.

However, the vicissitudes of political forune were sharply brought home to Karunanidhi when he lost the 1991 elections to MGR’s protege Jayaram Jayalalitha, who was also a popular film actress.

However, voters were dissatisfied with both Jayalalitha and her AIADMK party and in the 1996 elections, the Karunanidhi-led DMK was again back in power for the next five years.

Jayalalitha appeared to have learned her lessons and on the back of a strong campaign was reelected to power in 2001 trouncing Karunanidhi’s DMK.