EPS removes Sengottaiyan from AIADMK

CHENNAI: The factional drama within the AIADMK reached the end point for veteran leader and Gobichettipalayam MLA KA Sengottaiyan on Friday after party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami expelled him from primary membership for sharing the stage with ousted leaders, O Panneerselvam and AMMK general secretary founder TTV Dhinakaran, at the Guru Puja of Muthuramalinga Thevar in Pasumpon a day ago.

Palaniswami accused Sengottaiyan of repeatedly acting in ways that were contrary to the party’s objectives and rules. Despite being aware that maintaining contact with expelled members was prohibited, he had continued to associate with them, thereby violating party discipline and bringing disrepute to the organisation.

The expulsion marks the culmination of weeks of tension between Sengottaiyan and the party leadership. In September, he had issued a 10-day ultimatum to Palaniswami to reunite the party’s estranged factions, asserting that the AIADMK would return to power in 2026 only if the expelled leaders were taken back.

This led to him being relieved of his posts as the organisation secretary and secretary of the Erode Suburban (West) district unit. Seven of his loyalists were also ousted from their posts. However, Sengottaiyan remained a primary member of the AIADMK.

A nine-time MLA and one of the longest-serving AIADMK leaders since the days of party founder MG Ramachandran, Sengottaiyan has held several key portfolios, including Agriculture, Transport, and Revenue under different AIADMK governments. He was dropped from the J Jayalalithaa cabinet in 2012 without explanation, but was later brought back as School Education Minister during Palaniswami’s tenure in 2017.

“I will explain my stand at the party office on Saturday over my removal from the primary membership of AIADMK,” Sengottaiyan told the media in Erode.

It may be noted that on Thursday, while speaking to reporters at Pasumpon, he had remarked that he would be “happy to be sacked” when asked what his next move would be if Palaniswami removed him from the party.