1996 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election

1996 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election

← 1991 2 May 1996 2001 →
All 234 seats in the Legislature of Tamil Nadu 118 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	66.95% ( 3.11%)
First party Second party   Leader M. Karunanidhi J. Jayalalithaa Party DMK AIADMK Alliance United Front Congress alliance Leader's seat Chepauk Bargur (lost) Seats won 221 4 Seat change 219 216 Popular vote 14,600,748 7,354,723 Percentage 60.77% 27.08% Swing 30.72% 32.71%
1996 election map (by constituencies)
CM before election J. Jayalalithaa AIADMK Elected CM M. Karunanidhi DMK

The eleventh legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held on 2 May 1996. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led front won the election securing 221 seats in the 234 seat Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, and its leader M. Karunanidhi, became the chief minister.

In the tenth Tamil Nadu assembly, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) held the majority with its leader J. Jayalalithaa as the chief minister. The elections resulted in a landslide defeat for the incumbent government, with the AIADMK winning only four seats. Outgoing chief minister Jayalalithaa lost the election from the Bargur, and became the first incumbent chief minister since M. Bakthavatsalam in 1967 to lose the elections.