CHENNAI: Expelled AIADMK leader and former minister K A Sengottaiyan, along with former BJP Puducherry president V Saminathan, former AIADMK MLA from Karaikal K A U Assana Marecar, and several leaders from various parties, joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Thursday in the presence of party founder-president Vijay at the party headquarters in Panaiyur here.

Hundreds of Sengottaiyan’s supporters from Gobichettipalayam, who were earlier expelled from the AIADMK, also formally joined the TVK.

Sengottaiyan, a veteran legislator and a long-time aide of former Chief Ministers M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, was accorded a warm reception by TVK leaders, including N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, K G Arunraj, Venkataraman, and CTR Nirmal Kumar, who lined up to give him a rousing welcome.

Minutes after he joined the party, the veteran politician was appointed TVK’s chief coordinator for the Administrative Committee and organising secretary for the Western region, which covers Coimbatore, The Nilgiris, Erode and Tiruppur.

He will work along with the party’s general secretary N Anand and remain in direct communication with party president Vijay, according to TVK sources.