Politics of Chennai

The Seat of State Politics

As the capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Chennai is the seat of all political power in the state.  The state executive and legislative branches are housed here.  The executive branch consists of the Cabinet of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister. The legislative assembly consists of MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) elected by the people of Tamil Nadu.  The city’s metropolitan region covers outlying areas in the Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur districts too.  The larger of these areas are administered by town municipalities, while the smaller ones are administered by the local village panchayats.  

Administration of Chennai

Chennai is administered by the Chennai City Corporation which consists of a Mayor and duly elected Councilors who are 155 in number for the 155 wards that they represent.  The citizens of Chennai elect the Councilors, and they in turn choose a Mayor and Deputy Mayor.  All civic functions and duties are the responsibilities of the Corporation.  To assist in the governance of this huge congested metropolis, there are 10 Standing Committees who work under the guidance of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the discharge of their duties.   

Political Stars

Chennai has the somewhat dubious distinction of being home to probably the most star-struck people in India.  Film stars here are worshipped with a fervor that makes Hollywood fans seem tame in comparison, and it’s common to find temples in the city that have been erected in honor of a popular “Kollywood” (named for the area of Kodambakkam which is where most of the movie studios are located) star.  It’s no wonder then that many of Chennai’s cinematic gods end up as politicians, elected to the state’s most august offices by their hordes of fanatic admirers. Many of the state’s prominent political leaders, including quite a few Chief Ministers, have had their origins in Tamil language potboilers.