The recent loss in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections has triggered infighting and leadership struggle in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). The electoral setback has deepened divisions in the party and raised questions about its future direction and existence. After the dismal electoral show, the AIADMK, which won just 47 seats, saw more than two-thirds of its MLAs push for a realignment toward the TVK.
Tamil Nadu is witnessing the end of a traditional duopoly in favour of a new order, where actor-politician Vijay-led TVK is by default attracting many legislators in the AIADMK.
The rift between AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami and other leaders like CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani has come out in the open as the two factions battled on whether to support Vijay or not.
CM Vijay visits AIADMK rebel faction leader CV Shanmugam’s residence
Chief Minister Joseph Vijay went to AIADMK rebel faction leader CV Shanmugam’s house to greet him.
As many as 30 rebel AIADMK MLAs, including CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani, announced extending support to Vijay.
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The rupture between Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) and a rapidly consolidating rebel bloc is a major cause of instability in the party which ruled the state for more than 30 years but now seems to be heading for a split. A group of MLAs headed by former minister CV Shanmugam are openly challenging EPS, who remains the general secretary of the party.
Rift in AIADMK came to fore during oath-taking
The internal rift within the party came out in the open during the oath-taking ceremony when AIADMK legislators came in two separate groups: one following EPS and another led by former ministers SP Velumani, Dr C Vijayabaskar, and Shanmugam, reflecting a clear fracture.
Traditionally, AIADMK legislators used to gather at the entrance of the Assembly and enter the House as a united bloc.
The two groups of party MLAs nominated different leaders as the floor leader of the party to the Assembly speaker on Monday. 17 MLAs gave a letter to the pro-tem Speaker seeking to declare Edapadi Palanisami as their leader, while 30 MLAs sought to declare SP Velusami as their leader.
The AIADMK contested 167 out of 234 constituencies, but won only 47.
Rebel faction MLAs demand Palaniswami step down
A few rebel faction MLAs also demanded that Palaniswami step down after the party’s poor electoral performance.
The rebel faction has now moved from quiet dissent to an overt demand and is reportedly putting pressure on EPS to voluntarily step down and restructure the party.
The AIADMK legislators of the rebel bloc viewed alignment with the new government as practical for political survival.
However, the rebel camp faces its own internal succession crisis. The lack of consensus between Velumani and Shanmugham suggests that this mutiny is guided by a desperation for ministerial access.
Party insiders said earlier that Shanmugam, Velumani and their supporters want to back the TVK.
The crisis comes in AIADMK after it faced successive electoral defeats in the 2019 General Election, the 2021 Assembly election, and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and in the recent assembly polls.
