Chennai: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) suffered one other blow on Thursday when 4 former ministers, a number of former MLAs, senior leaders and a whole lot of cadres formally joined the ruling Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), additional eroding the organizational power of the celebration at the moment led by Edappadi Okay. Palaniswami (EPS).
The 4 former ministers of state who’ve joined TVK are Mr. C. Vijayabaskar, Mr. MR Vijayabaskar, Mr. MSM Anandan and Mr. S. Vararmati.
This improvement reveals that the AIADMK continues to shed blood amongst its cadres.Regardless of the general public ‘matchmaking’ between the factions led by EPS basic secretary and Mairam MLA CV Shanmugam. This mass exodus is seen on account of the celebration management’s incapacity to deal with deep-seated organizational rifts, denial of alternatives, caste- and region-based divisions, and perceptions of dynastic tendencies underneath the EPS.
EM Manraj from Sriviriputur, MSR Rajavarman from Satur, SV Thirugnana Sambandham from Peravurani, S. Sundararajan from Sankari and MSM Ramachandran from Illaiyangudi had been among the many former AIADMK MLAs who joined the ruling TVK. A few of those that attended the celebration led by CM Vijay had been; Mr. Vairamuthu, Pudukkottai South District Secretary.
The swap to TVK has raised critical doubts about EPS’s capacity to carry the AIADMK collectively following its poor efficiency within the 2026 Tamil Nadu Meeting elections.
For the reason that post-poll ‘settlement’, at the least 16 former ministers, 300 district officers and over 1,000 cadres have stop the AIADMK, with many going to the ruling TVK.
Following the most recent improvement, the AIADMK in an announcement on Thursday criticized ministers and those that had jumped ship after having fun with organizational privileges for betraying the beliefs of MGR and Jayalalithaa. The paper mentioned these leaders had acted “selfishly” and referred to as the celebration’s 47 seats secured within the 2026 elections the premise for a revival. He additionally referred to as on remaining leaders to keep up unity and dismissed “defectors” as short-sighted.
“Those that held excessive positions and loved advantages throughout the celebration are actually leaving the celebration and criticizing the management that gave them all the pieces. That is pushed purely by self-interest. True celebration members who perceive historical past and beliefs will stay resolute and work to strengthen the group,” the assertion mentioned. The AIADMK additional mentioned in an announcement that historical past will document who’re the “actual traitors” and “actual militants”.
“We name on all loyal executives to disregard these non permanent setbacks and transfer ahead in unity,” it added.
In the meantime, TVK chief KA Sengottaiyan mentioned that EPS betrayed AIADMK staff and tried to affix fingers with DMK, its largest political rival. “AIADMK leaders got here to the celebration correct after turning into ignorant in regards to the present AIADMK management as AIADMK was functioning like a ‘company’ and never a political group,” he mentioned.
Additionally learn: How Mr. Vijay plans to construct a solo majority for TVK within the Tamil Nadu Meeting
Opposition inside AIADMK
The patchwork between the factions led by EPS and Velmani, which included mutual complaints of disqualification earlier than the speaker’s resignation, was geared toward uniting the celebration after a confidence vote in Might left the celebration divided.
The day earlier than, In a letter to EPS, former ministers Velumani, P. Thangamani and KP Anbalagan mentioned they’d declined the celebration positions supplied to them. The AIADMK management didn’t respect the agreements reached in the course of the ceasefire.
Earlier, AIADMK leaders who defected from the celebration accused EPS of taking choices solely primarily based on private curiosity.
For instance, former MLA R Nataraj, who joined TVK final month, informed ThePrint that the celebration was restricted to a “gounder celebration” slightly than a Dravidian main primarily based in a number of districts throughout Tamil Nadu. “When leaders see that the way forward for the celebration shouldn’t be vivid, they search for different alternatives. Even when structural modifications had been wanted within the functioning of the celebration, the accountability was within the fingers of the management to additional strengthen the celebration. However no such try was made,” he mentioned.
One other former minister, S. Senmalai, cited the post-election developments as “incalculable psychological agony” and mentioned the celebration’s power has declined in comparison with the MGR and Jayalalithaa eras, and in addition alleged that the contributions of celebration members aren’t being appreciated and the employees aren’t being rewarded for his or her efforts.
Political analysts ThePrint spoke to mentioned that not like MGR and Jayalalithaa, EPS lacks charisma. This, mixed with allegations of dynastic politics and failure to rebuild alliances and regional strongholds, is exacerbating the disaster, they added.
Political analyst Arun Kumar mentioned EPS shouldn’t be a mass chief and doesn’t have a lot regional presence. “It is crucial for the leaders to additional strengthen the celebration by enrolling younger cadres, campaigning past regional bases, and inspiring new energy buildings. However EPS seems to have failed on this, which has brought about inside rifts and he’s now not in a position to maintain the celebration collectively.”
Political commentators additionally mentioned that the AIADMK is at a significant drawback as TVK’s rising reputation has pushed the EPS-led celebration to 3rd place when it comes to in style assist in Tamil Nadu.
Political analyst Ram Manivannan mentioned, “It isn’t that the AIADMK is missing in something. It now not has a dominant place. As soon as the celebration is out of energy, defection is inevitable. TVK sees this as its largest alternative.”
DMK MP Kanimozhi additionally criticized former AIADMK leaders’ participation in TVK, likening it to ‘washer’ politics, a tag given to the Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP) by political opponents.
Political analysts additionally identified that the ruling celebration TVK has invited AIADMK leaders like C. Vijaybhaskar, who was as soon as accused of corruption. “This exposes a double commonplace, the place Mr. Vijay says he needs to current a clear authorities however is bribing celebration members from the left and proper. The ruling celebration is brazenly horse-trading and political expediency is the driving pressure behind these defections,” Manivannan mentioned.
(Edited by Amrutanshu Arora)
Additionally learn: After MGR and Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK was united once more. This time the cracks bought deeper
