In 1967, C.N. Annadurai's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) ended Congress's dominance in Tamil Nadu through anti-Hindi agitations and strategic alliances. The victory marked a shift to regional politics in the state. Anna became the first non-Congress chief minister.
The 1950s and 1960s in the Madras Presidency were periods of transition and a rhetorical blitz. As the DMK's 'Rising Sun' ascended from Robinson Park, C.N. Annadurai (Anna) brought a qualitative shift to southern politics. He transformed Periyar's rationalist reality into celluloid charm and parliamentary polish, dismantling India's 'grand old party'.
The anti-Hindi protests peaked in 1965. On January 26, 1965, the day Hindi became the sole official language, Anna declared it a day of mourning. Protests led to over 70 deaths from police firing, including student martyr Rajendran at Annamalai University. Self-immolations, like that of Chinnasamy, shocked the nation. Anna's total jail time exceeded 15,000 days. He coined, 'Prison is the price of pride.' Slogans included 'English ever, Hindi never'.
As a Rajya Sabha MP from 1957 to 1962, Anna advocated for renaming Madras to Tamil Nadu: 'Madras is a name forged in colonial chains; let Tamil Nadu rise as a sovereign sentiment.' In his 1962 speech, he thundered, 'I belong to the Dravidian stock'.
In cinema, he collaborated with M. Karunanidhi, writing dialogues against caste and temple corruption. 'Gods are man's making, not vice versa,' his writings stated.
He criticized the Bhaktavatsalam regime over the rice crisis and Hindi imposition. A slogan: 'Kamarajar Annachi, kadalaiparuppu vilai ennachu? Bhaktavatsalam annachi, arisi vilai ennachu?' (Elder brother Kamaraj, what happened to chana dal price? Brother Bhaktavatsalam, what happened to rice price?).
In 1967, Anna allied with Rajaji to defeat Congress. DMK won, and Anna became chief minister, sworn in a simple dhoti. He announced the 'Two-Rupee Rice Scheme'.