| Election Name: | Indian general election in Tamil Nadu, 1971 |
| Country: | India |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | Indian general election in Madras, 1967 |
| Previous Year: | 1967 |
| Next Election: | Indian general election in Tamil Nadu, 1977 |
| Next Year: | 1977 |
| Election Date: | November 1971 |
| Seats For Election: | 39 (of 518) seats in the Lok Sabha |
| Registered: | 23,064,983 |
| Turnout: | 16,565,949 (71.82%) 4.74% |
| Image1: | File:M._Karunanidhi_.jpg |
| Party1: | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |
| Alliance1: | Progressive Front |
| Leaders Seat1: | Did not contest |
| Seats1: | 38 |
| Seat Change1: | 9 |
| Popular Vote1: | 8,869,095 |
| Percentage1: | 55.60% |
| Swing1: | 24.73% |
| Leader2: | K. Kamaraj |
| Leaders Seat2: | Nagercoil |
| Party2: | Indian National Congress (Organisation) |
| Alliance2: | Democratic Front |
| Seats2: | 1 |
| Seat Change2: | 5 |
| Popular Vote2: | 6,474,832 |
| Percentage2: | 40.60% |
| Swing2: | 31.44% |
| Map Size: | 200px |
| Before Election: | Indian National Congress |
| After Party: | Indian National Congress |
The 1971 Indian general election polls in Tamil Nadu were held for 39 seats in the state. After winning in 1967, DMK supported the Congress party under Indira Gandhi, and the 25 DMK MPs, ensured her to stay in power as a minority government, from 1969 to 1971.[1] This state was crucial for Indira Gandhi to hold, in order for her to stay in power. The result was a victory for Indian National Congress (Indira) and its ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam winning 38 seats (with 5 seats going to the Left Front), while Opposition Congress and Swatantra Party could only win 1 seat. DMK won every seat it contested except the seat contested by K. Kamarajar in Nagercoil.
| No. | Party | Election Symbol | Leader | Seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 24 | ||||
| 2. | Indira Gandhi | 9 | |||
| 3. | Shripad Amrit Dange | 4 | |||
| 4. | P. K. Mookiah Thevar | 1 | |||
| 5. | Muhammed Ismail | 1 | |||
| No. | Party | Election Symbol | Leader | Seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 29 | ||||
| 2. | C. Rajagopalachari | 9 | |||
| 3. | 1 | ||||
| Alliance | Party | align=centre | Popular Vote | align=centre | Percentage | align=centre | Swing | align=centre | Seats won | align=centre | Seat Change | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive Front | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 5,622,758 | 35.25% | 0.53% | 23 | 2 | |||||||
| Indian National Congress (Requistionist) | 1,995,567 | 12.51% | 29.18% | 9 | 6 | ||||||||
| Communist Party of India | 866,399 | 5.43% | 3.74% | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| All India Forward Bloc | 208,431 | 1.31% | 1 | ||||||||||
| Independents | 175,940 | 1.10% | 0.07% | 1 | |||||||||
| Total | 8,869,095 | 55.60% | 24.73% | 38 | 9 | ||||||||
| Democratic Front | Indian National Congress (Organisation) | 4,853,534 | 30.43% | new party | 1 | new party | |||||||
| Swatantra Party | 1,479,693 | 9.28% | 0.12% | 0 | 6 | ||||||||
| Samyukta Socialist Party | 141,605 | 0.89% | new party | 0 | new party | ||||||||
| Total | 6,474,832 | 40.60% | 31.44% | 1 | 5 | ||||||||
| Communist Party of India (Marxist) | 260,833 | 1.64% | 5.21% | 0 | 4 | ||||||||
| Independents | 344,452 | 2.16% | 1.00% | 0 | |||||||||
| Total | 15,949,212 | 100.00% | 39 | ||||||||||
| Valid Votes | 15,949,212 | 96.28% | |||||||||||
| Invalid Votes | 616,437 | 3.72% | |||||||||||
| Total Votes | 16,565,649 | 100.00% | |||||||||||
| Reigstered Voters/Turnout | 23,064,983 | 71.82% | 4.74% | ||||||||||