Sengottaiyan meet fuels talks of Thirunavukkarasar joining TVK

CHENNAI: A seemingly casual interaction between senior Congress leader and former Union minister Su Thirunavukkarasar and KA Sengottaiyan, who has taken up the role as chief coordinator of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) administrative committee, after joining the party in the presence of actor Vijay, has triggered speculations.

The talks of whether Thirunavukkarasar was also mulling to cross over to the fledgling actor Vijay-led party were fuelled by political predictions that Sengottaiyan may rope in more present and former AIADMK veterans, sulking over their poor political fortunes.

The two leaders were spotted conversing at a private wedding function in Erode, a moment that immediately sent political circles into overdrive.

According to TVK sources, Sengottaiyan is said to have invited Thirunavukkarasar to join the party, assuring him "appropriate respect and value" within its organisational structure.

The development comes at a time when Thirunavukkarasar is believed to be unhappy with the Congress high command for denying him a ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

With the 2026 Assembly polls approaching and TVK aggressively scouting for seasoned faces to bolster its presence, the meeting has taken on added significance.

Party insiders noted that Thirunavukkarasar's long electoral experience and his influence in central Tamil Nadu and the Thevar belt could be a strategic gain for TVK if he chooses to make the switch.

Amid the mounting buzz, Thirunavukkarasar sought to downplay the encounter. "We met at a wedding ceremony in Erode. Sengottaiyan is an old friend, and we simply enquired about each other's well-being. It was an informal conversation with nothing political about it," he clarified on Monday.