Campaigning in the bypoll-bound Dharapuram assembly constituency in Western Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister and TVK supremo Vijay said that his party's candidate Sathyabama had quit her office as an AIADMK MLA and joined TVK, "owing to a betrayal by the AIADMK and not due to horse-trading". Sathyabama is one among six MLAs who got elected as MLAs by contesting on AIADMK tickets but resigned their elected office and jumped ship to the ruling TVK, necessitating vacancies and bypolls. In the summer 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly polls, Vijay's debutant TVK party fell short of an individual majority and later formed a coalition government, while the established giants DMK and AIADMK were pushed to the second and third places.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-setup-a-karnataka-public-school-in-every-gram-panchayat-edu-minister-madhu-bangarappa-1790237362453">Will setup a Karnataka Public School in every Gram Panchayat: Edu Minister Madhu Bangarappa</a>"Sathyabama is a true follower of AIADMK founder M. G. Ramachandran(MGR) and party supremo J. Jayalalithaa (both former multiple-term Chief Ministers)... When she learnt that AIADMK is planning to ally with archrival DMK, she felt that the party was betraying MGR and Jayalalithaa, who staunchly opposed the DMK. She could not tolerate this betrayal. That is why she formally resigned as an MLA and joined us (TKV). There was no horse-trading or whatever...," said Chief Minister Vijay. This is seen as Vijay's response to DMK and AIADMK, who have been alleging that the TVK is buying opposition MLAs through unfair means.Regarding his four-month tenure at the helm of the state, Vijay said that the TVK Government has been fulfilling their pre-poll promises: we are ensuring corruption-free governance, we shut down government liquor outlets near temples and schools, we are providing 200 units of free electricity, we launched the Singappen Special task force to tackle crimes against women and kids, we will offer free bus travel for women from October 2nd, we will offer free LPG cylinders from the Pongal festival in January 2027.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cm-vijay-turns-maternal-uncle-gifts-tn-government-s-gold-ring-scheme-for-newborns-1790584941409">CM Vijay turns 'maternal uncle'; gifts TN government's gold ring scheme for newborns</a>Attacking the principal opposition party DMK, Vijay said, "Former Chief Minister MK Stalin's party still believes they are in power; people are their slaves. We (TKV) do not have that dynastic mentality. We follow the true ideals of DMK founder and former Chief Minister Annadurai, who said: go to the people and be amidst them."Taking a dig at DMK's brand of secularism (of not conveying wishes on Hindu festivals), Vijay said, "All religions are ours... We had said that we are believers and that we don't oppose anyone's belief. We will wish people for Krishna Jayanthi, for Christmas, and for Bakrid... All religious festivals are one and the same for us. We are not DMK to put a scene," he said. Further, Vijay accused the DMK of trying to carry out sabotage against his government, adding confidently that people and God are on his side. Claiming to be like AIADMK leaders MGR and Jayalalithaa, Vijay said that he was taking on the "evil force" DMK, just like they had done.<h2>Why do the bypolls matter to Vijay's TVK?</h2>Dharapuram and Madurantakam go to the polls on October 6th, while bypolls are due in five other seats. Vijay's TVK has 107 MLAs in the house, but his government remains in power due to the support of coalition partners: Congress (five seats), VCK (two seats), IUML (two seats), and the external support of Left parties (four seats). The halfway mark in the Tamil Nadu assembly is 118, and Vijay's coalition has the backing of 120 MLAs. However, differences have started to emerge in the barely five-month-old coalition. Leaders from Congress and left parties have even publicly threatened to quit the coalition. With a total of seven seats up for grabs in the bypolls (two on October 6th and five to be announced), Vijay's TVK has a chance to tighten its grip on power while reducing dependence on allies that are playing hardball. Winning the bypolls would also signal that Vijay's personality cult-centric politics is sustaining itself well among the masses, despite heavy opposition criticism of it being a "reel-based governance focused on optics and not real issues".&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has rejected allegations of horse-trading over Sathyabama’s move from AIADMK to TVK, saying she quit because of what he called a “betrayal” by her former party. His remarks come ahead of the Dharapuram bypoll.

Campaigning in the bypoll-bound Dharapuram assembly constituency in Western Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister and TVK supremo Vijay said that his party's candidate Sathyabama had quit her office as an AIADMK MLA and joined TVK, "owing to a betrayal by the AIADMK and not due to horse-trading". Sathyabama is one among six MLAs who got elected as MLAs by contesting on AIADMK tickets but resigned their elected office and jumped ship to the ruling TVK, necessitating vacancies and bypolls. In the summer 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly polls, Vijay's debutant TVK party fell short of an individual majority and later formed a coalition government, while the established giants DMK and AIADMK were pushed to the second and third places. Also read | Will setup a Karnataka Public School in every Gram Panchayat: Edu Minister Madhu Bangarappa "Sathyabama is a true follower of AIADMK founder M. G. Ramachandran(MGR) and party supremo J. Jayalalithaa (both former multiple-term Chief Ministers)... When she learnt that AIADMK is planning to ally with archrival DMK, she felt that the party was betraying MGR and Jayalalithaa, who staunchly opposed the DMK. She could not tolerate this betrayal. That is why she formally resigned as an MLA and joined us (TKV). There was no horse-trading or whatever...," said Chief Minister Vijay. This is seen as Vijay's response to DMK and AIADMK, who have been alleging that the TVK is buying opposition MLAs through unfair means. Regarding his four-month tenure at the helm of the state, Vijay said that the TVK Government has been fulfilling their pre-poll promises: we are ensuring corruption-free governance, we shut down government liquor outlets near temples and schools, we are providing 200 units of free electricity, we launched the Singappen Special task force to tackle crimes against women and kids, we will offer free bus travel for women from October 2nd, we will offer free LPG cylinders from the Pongal festival in January 2027. Also read | CM Vijay turns 'maternal uncle'; gifts TN government's gold ring scheme for newborns Attacking the principal opposition party DMK, Vijay said, "Former Chief Minister MK Stalin's party still believes they are in power; people are their slaves. We (TKV) do not have that dynastic mentality. We follow the true ideals of DMK founder and former Chief Minister Annadurai, who said: go to the people and be amidst them." Taking a dig at DMK's brand of secularism (of not conveying wishes on Hindu festivals), Vijay said, "All religions are ours... We had said that we are believers and that we don't oppose anyone's belief. We will wish people for Krishna Jayanthi, for Christmas, and for Bakrid... All religious festivals are one and the same for us. We are not DMK to put a scene," he said. Further, Vijay accused the DMK of trying to carry out sabotage against his government, adding confidently that people and God are on his side. Claiming to be like AIADMK leaders MGR and Jayalalithaa, Vijay said that he was taking on the "evil force" DMK, just like they had done. Why do the bypolls matter to Vijay's TVK? Dharapuram and Madurantakam go to the polls on October 6th, while bypolls are due in five other seats. Vijay's TVK has 107 MLAs in the house, but his government remains in power due to the support of coalition partners: Congress (five seats), VCK (two seats), IUML (two seats), and the external support of Left parties (four seats). The halfway mark in the Tamil Nadu assembly is 118, and Vijay's coalition has the backing of 120 MLAs. However, differences have started to emerge in the barely five-month-old coalition. Leaders from Congress and left parties have even publicly threatened to quit the coalition. With a total of seven seats up for grabs in the bypolls (two on October 6th and five to be announced), Vijay's TVK has a chance to tighten its grip on power while reducing dependence on allies that are playing hardball. Winning the bypolls would also signal that Vijay's personality cult-centric politics is sustaining itself well among the masses, despite heavy opposition criticism of it being a "reel-based governance focused on optics and not real issues".

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has rejected allegations of horse-trading over Sathyabama’s move from AIADMK to TVK, saying she quit because of what he called a “betrayal” by her former party. His remarks come ahead of the Dharapuram bypoll.

Dharapuram AIADMK MLA joined TVK after betrayal; No horse-trading: CM Vijay

Barely two months after witnessing one of its worst results in the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, the AIADMK—the third-largest party in the state assembly—is bleeding elected representatives. On Monday (June 29), senior AIADMK leader and former Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar met Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar at his office in Chennai and tendered his resignation. The Speaker accepted the resignation, making it the sixth exit of an AIADMK legislator in recent weeks. While the AIADMK secured 47 seats in the 234-seat assembly, the ongoing exodus of its MLAs has brought its strength down to 41.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-govt-to-set-up-two-fast-breeder-nuclear-reactors-in-tamil-nadu-1782578270016">Indian Govt to set up two fast breeder nuclear reactors in Tamil Nadu</a>&nbsp;The successive exits come during a period of intense churning within the 54-year-old party and growing differences between influential state leaders and party chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami. Primarily, the internal rift centres on whether the party should support Chief Minister Vijay’s government. This remains a crucial issue, given that Vijay’s party emerged as the single largest entity but lacked the required numbers to form a majority on its own. The AIADMK MLAs who violated the party diktat by voting in favour of Vijay's government during the assembly floor test were subsequently ousted from their district-level party positions. Even after a recent patch-up with the leadership, they have not been reinstated to their party posts.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/vijay-s-jana-nayagan-movie-producer-appointed-to-govt-post-row-erupts-1782490768156">Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan’ movie producer appointed to govt post; row erupts</a>&nbsp;Four AIADMK MLAs who resigned from office and quit the party last month have already joined the ruling TVK. Last week, another former AIADMK minister, C. Vijayabaskar, also resigned from his assembly seat. Speculation is growing that both C. Vijayabaskar and M.R. Vijayabhaskar will officially join the TVK at an event in Chennai this week. While the AIADMK and the DMK have accused Vijay’s TVK of horse-trading, the ruling party maintains that the MLAs are quitting voluntarily due to deep dissatisfaction with the AIADMK leadership.<h2>Bypolls for 7 Assembly seats to be conducted in Tamil Nadu</h2>&nbsp;With six AIADMK MLAs having resigned and Chief Minister Vijay vacating one of the two seats he won, bypolls are now due across seven assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. These bypolls are widely perceived as a major opportunity for the ruling TVK to increase its independent strength in the 234-seat house, where 118 legislators are required for a majority. Currently, the TVK has 107 MLAs of its own, backed by allies Congress (5 MLAs), IUML (2 MLAs), and VCK (2 MLAs), along with external support from the CPI and CPI(M), which hold two MLAs each.

The internal crisis within the AIADMK deepens as former minister M R Vijayabhaskar becomes the sixth MLA to resign from the Tamil Nadu Assembly, amidst an ongoing exodus of legislators to the ruling TVK.

Barely two months after witnessing one of its worst results in the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, the AIADMK—the third-largest party in the state assembly—is bleeding elected representatives. On Monday (June 29), senior AIADMK leader and former Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar met Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar at his office in Chennai and tendered his resignation. The Speaker accepted the resignation, making it the sixth exit of an AIADMK legislator in recent weeks. While the AIADMK secured 47 seats in the 234-seat assembly, the ongoing exodus of its MLAs has brought its strength down to 41. Also read: Indian Govt to set up two fast breeder nuclear reactors in Tamil Nadu The successive exits come during a period of intense churning within the 54-year-old party and growing differences between influential state leaders and party chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami. Primarily, the internal rift centres on whether the party should support Chief Minister Vijay’s government. This remains a crucial issue, given that Vijay’s party emerged as the single largest entity but lacked the required numbers to form a majority on its own. The AIADMK MLAs who violated the party diktat by voting in favour of Vijay's government during the assembly floor test were subsequently ousted from their district-level party positions. Even after a recent patch-up with the leadership, they have not been reinstated to their party posts. Also read: Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan’ movie producer appointed to govt post; row erupts Four AIADMK MLAs who resigned from office and quit the party last month have already joined the ruling TVK. Last week, another former AIADMK minister, C. Vijayabaskar, also resigned from his assembly seat. Speculation is growing that both C. Vijayabaskar and M.R. Vijayabhaskar will officially join the TVK at an event in Chennai this week. While the AIADMK and the DMK have accused Vijay’s TVK of horse-trading, the ruling party maintains that the MLAs are quitting voluntarily due to deep dissatisfaction with the AIADMK leadership. Bypolls for 7 Assembly seats to be conducted in Tamil Nadu With six AIADMK MLAs having resigned and Chief Minister Vijay vacating one of the two seats he won, bypolls are now due across seven assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. These bypolls are widely perceived as a major opportunity for the ruling TVK to increase its independent strength in the 234-seat house, where 118 legislators are required for a majority. Currently, the TVK has 107 MLAs of its own, backed by allies Congress (5 MLAs), IUML (2 MLAs), and VCK (2 MLAs), along with external support from the CPI and CPI(M), which hold two MLAs each.

The internal crisis within the AIADMK deepens as former minister M R Vijayabhaskar becomes the sixth MLA to resign from the Tamil Nadu Assembly, amidst an ongoing exodus of legislators to the ruling TVK.

Tamil Nadu: Exodus of AIADMK MLAs continues; 6th MLA quits

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Dharapuram AIADMK MLA joined TVK after betrayal; No horse-trading: CM Vijay

Tamil Nadu: Exodus of AIADMK MLAs continues; 6th MLA quits