AIADMK Faces Fresh Blow as Former Ministers Join TVK in Chennai

Several senior leaders of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, including former ministers and ex-MLAs, joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in Chennai on Saturday, marking another wave of exits from the opposition party amid its ongoing internal churn.

The leaders who switched allegiance include former ministers Udumalai K Radhakrishnan, M C Sampath, Kadambur C Raju and N R Sivapathi . They formally joined TVK at its headquarters in the presence of party general secretary and election campaign management in-charge Aadhav Arjuna .

The latest defections come in the backdrop of AIADMK’s April 23 electoral setback , which has deepened factional tensions and triggered continued organisational instability. Party insiders say the developments reflect a broader phase of realignment within Tamil Nadu’s opposition politics.

Earlier, a group of rebel MLAs had supported a confidence motion in the Assembly, defying party whip instructions. While some later resigned and joined TVK, others were brought back into AIADMK after discussions with general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami. However, the episode exposed widening internal fault lines within the party.

Since then, several functionaries and former representatives have left AIADMK for TVK. On May 29, more than 300 AIADMK members , including former ministers and ex-MLAs, joined the emerging outfit at its Panaiyur headquarters in Chennai, signalling a steady drain of leadership from the parent organisation.

Among earlier high-profile exits is former minister K A Sengottaiyan , who aligned with TVK ahead of elections, reinforcing perceptions of a gradual consolidation around the new political platform led by actor-politician Joseph Vijay.

Many of the recent entrants had also contested the last elections unsuccessfully in their respective constituencies, which observers say may have influenced their decision to switch political affiliations.

Political analysts note that the continuing movement of leaders from AIADMK to TVK points to a wider restructuring in Tamil Nadu politics. While there has been no official confirmation from either side, the steady flow of defections is being seen as a sign of evolving alignments and the possibility of an indirect political understanding ahead of future elections.