Center-left, regionalist Dravidian party active in the states of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Party was launched by Rajya Sabha MP, Vaiyapuri Gopalsamy (aka, Vaiko), who was given the moniker "Lion of Parliament" for his outspokenness. Party was formed after a split with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) over bitter, life-threatening differences with its leader, author M. Karunanidhi, and his son M.K. Stalin, who is the current DMK leader. Party agitates for Tamil separatism and supports the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka and their goal of establishing a separate Tamil nation [Renaissance Dravidian Progressive Federation].
