Vaiko

He is known as the tiger of parliament majority for his good and sober manners. He is known to be a supporter of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Vaiko enjoys writing in his free time and has authored over 50 books apart from regular essays and columns in newspapers.

• In 2016 Tamil Nadu state assembly elections, Vaiko contested from Kovilpatti seat. He fielded 29 MDMK candidates. None of them won.

• Again he contested from Virudhnagar Loksabha constituency and lost. He was defeated by Radhakrishnan T of AIADMK.

• He contested Loksabha Election from Virudhunagar. He was defeated by Manicka Tagore of INC.

• Tamil Nadu CID police arrested him on charges of sedition. The charges stemmed from speeches Vaiko made at a party meeting. He gave remarks on the Sri Lankan issue and the government's raids into LTTE-held areas. After 14 days in judicial custody, he was released.

• Vaiko started the Marumalarchi Blood Donors' Club. Vaiko has undergone a month-long padayatra in Tamil Nadu demanding for the interlinking of inter-state rivers in India.

• During Loksabha elections, Vaiko extensively campaigned for MDMK. He traveled throughout the state for 55 days without a break.

• He was controversially arrested under the POTA for his support to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. He was released after 18 months of imprisonment.

• He was Member, Committee on Ethics till 2001.

• Member, Committee of Privileges, Member, Committee on Defence and Member, Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests for two years.

• Re-elected to 13th Lok Sabha (2nd term) Leader and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Parliamentary Party, Lok Sabha.

• Member, Committee on External Affairs and its Sub-Committee-I and Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Industry till 1999.

• Elected to 12th Lok Sabh from Sivakasi constituency. He defeated Alagirisamy, V. of CPI.

• General-Secretary, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (M.D.M.K.).

• Member, Committee on Petitions and Member, Committee on Papers Laid on the Table till 1987.

• Member, Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes till 1984.

• Member, Railway Convention Committee (two terms) till 1984.

• Vaiko was the Member, Rajya Sabha (three terms) till 1996.

President, District Central Cooperative Bank; won (i) Gold Medal in Economics and Best Speaker award in St. Xavier’s College, 1964; (ii) First Prize in Inter-Collegiate-Tamil Oratorical Competitions, 1964-65 and 1965-66, representing Presidency College, Madras; (iii) First-Prize-Silver Cup in Inter-Collegiate Elocution Competition conducted by Madras City Police to celebrate Road Safety Week in 1965; and (iv) Best Orator Award in Law College, Madras,1969; detained, (i) under MISA from 1 February, 1976 to 2 February, 1977; and (ii) again for 40 days for organising Black Flag Demonstration against Late Smt. Indira Gandhi’s visit to Tamil Nadu, October, 1977; jailed, (i) four times, during 1978-81 for peaceful demonstrations and picketing against Tamil Nadu State Government; (ii) four times during 1982-83 for organising Volunteer Camps of DMK; (iii) three times during 1984-86 for participation in agitation against the State Government; and (iv) during 1986-87 for anti-Hindi agitation; President, (i) Presidency College Victoria Hostel Tamil Association, 1965-66; (ii) Land Development Bank, Kuruvikulam, 1971-75; and (iii) M.D.K. Co-operative Supervisors’ Training Institute, 1971-76; Chairman, (i) Panchayat Union, Kuruvikulam, Tirunelveli District, 1970-76; and (ii) Tirunelveli District Co-operative CentralBank, 1972-73; Propaganda-Secretary, DMK Party for Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts, 1977-79; Secretary, Election Campaign, DMK headquarters, 1983; Convenor, Dr. Karunanidhi Voluntary Blood Donors’ Association, Tirunelveli; Organiser, Youth Forums; and State Joint Organiser, DMK Students wing, 1970.