Upon the death of C.N.Annadurai of cancer, Karunanidhi became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on February 10, 1969. His first term as chief minister lasted until January 4, 1971.

Following the victory of the DMK in the 1971 elections, Karunanidhi became Chief Minister for a second term from March 15, 1971 through January 31, 1976.

But politics, like sports, is a very competitive arena and success breeds dissension even among close associates. Popular Tamil film star M.G.Ramachandran a.k.a MGR broke away from the DMK and formed the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

MGR made corruption the main issue for the parting of ways. In an interview with the New York Times in 1974, MGR said in a reference to the top leaders of the DMK, “They have corrupted a party that was once incorruptible.”