Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami Biography: Birthday, Early Life, Career, Personal Life, Facts

Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami Biography: Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami (born 12 May 1954), also known by his initials E.P.S., is an Indian Tamil politician and opposition leader in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. From 2017 to 2021, he served as the seventh chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Since 28 March 2023, he has served as the General Secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami Biography

Early years

In 1974, Edappadi K. Palaniswami launched his political career with AIADMK. Before assuming office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 2017, he served as the Minister for Highways and Minor Ports in the ministries commanded by Jayalalithaa and O. Panneerselvam. He had also won the assembly elections from the Edapadi constituency four times, in 1989, 1991, 2011, and 2016.

Political career

Palaniswami entered politics in 1974 as an AIADMK volunteer. Later, he became the most influential party member in the Salem district. First elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 1989 to represent the Edappadi constituency, he was re-elected in 1991. He was elected to represent the Tiruchengodu constituency in the 12th Lok Sabha as a member of parliament. In the late 1990s, he emerged as a dominant force within the AIADMK in the western district. He was appointed Secretary of Propaganda in July 2006 and Secretary of Organisation in 2007.

When the AIADMK emerged as the ruling party in 2011 and 2016 he was elected from the Edappadi constituency. Slowly, he rose to prominence as one of J. Jayalalithaa’s closest confidants, alongside O. Paneerselvam and Dindigul C. Sreenivasan. Beginning in 2011, he served as Minister of Highways and Minor Ports under J. Jayalalithaa, O. Panneerselvam, and his own ministry. In 2014, he was designated secretary of the Aiadmk headquarters, succeeding K. A. Sengottaiyan.

Personal Life

Palaniswami was born on 12 May 1954 in Siluvampalayam, Salem, Madras State, India (now Tamil Nadu, India) to Karuppa Gounder and Thavasiyammal. His parents were ranchers. After finishing their education, he enrolled in the Bachelor of Science programme at Sri Vasavi College but did not graduate. He was the college’s student union president. He has two siblings: Govindraj and Ranjitham. Palaniswami is married to Ratha Palanisamy, has one son, and works as an agriculturalist.

Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami Facts

• Edappadi K. Palaniswami began his political career with the All India Congress in 1974. Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK
• In 1989, he was elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from the Edappadi constituency after joining the AIADMK.
• In 1991, he was elected to the Assembly for the second time from the Edappadi constituency.
• In 1998, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Tiruchengode constituency in Tamil Nadu and became a member of parliament. He was a member of the Committee on Industry and the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Textiles during his time in the Lower House.
• Palaniswami was re-elected as the MLA of Edappadi in 2011 after a nearly 20-year absence and served as the Minister of State Highways and Minor Ports in J Jayalalithaa’s cabinet.
  2016 marked his second consecutive tenure as Edappadi’s member of the Legislative Assembly. He was appointed Minister for Public Works, State Highways, and Minor Ports this time.
• After the demise of AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa in December 2016, Palaniswami became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 2017.
• In May 2021, he resigned as the Chief of Staff.
• In 2021, he was re-elected from the Edappadi constituency to the state legislative assembly.