CHENNAI: In a move aimed at addressing growing disquiet among recent entrants and strengthening confidence among leaders still weighing their political options, TVK president and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday appointed 11 former AIADMK ministers and four other leaders as the party's deputy general secretaries.

The appointments give senior AIADMK turncoats a prominent place in the TVK's organisational structure, months after a series of high-profile defections. The move is also significant amid continuing speculation over further political migration from the AIADMK to the ruling party.

The 11 former ministers appointed as deputy general secretaries are MSM Anandan, MC Sampath, K Radhakrishnan, KV Ramalingam, M Anandan, Kadambur Raju, KT Pachaimal, Vellamandi N Natarajan, NR Sivapathi, S Vaigaichelvan and S Valarmathi.

J Sundeep Anand, son of DMK leader S Jagathrakshakan, along with KG Muthu Venkateswaran, Thollamur Kannan and VCR Kumaran, has also been appointed deputy general secretary.

Former MLA C Mahendran has been appointed secretary of the Tirupur Rural South district.

Welcoming the new office-bearers, Vijay urged them to work in coordination with party functionaries and under the guidance of general secretary N Anand. He also appealed to cadres to extend their full cooperation to the new appointees.