CHENNAI: Former AIADMK ministers C Vijayabaskar, M.R. Vijayabaskar and MSM Anandan are set to formally join TVK at a function in Mahabalipuram on Thursday (July 2), marking another setback for the AIADMK amid the ongoing political realignment following the Assembly elections.
The latest development comes after a prolonged internal rift within the AIADMK. Following the party's electoral defeat, a group of senior leaders, including CVe Shanmugam and SP Velumani, along with around 25 AIADMK MLAs, had reportedly urged party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami to support TVK. The proposal was rejected, widening differences within the party.
The dissent later spilt into the Assembly, where the rebel MLAs supported a confidence motion moved by TVK. In response, Palaniswami removed several of the leaders from their organisational posts.
The crisis deepened as six AIADMK MLAs resigned from the Assembly. Although the party leadership later reinstated leaders such as SP Velumani and Natham R Viswanathan as deputy general secretary and organising secretary, the district secretary posts they previously held were not restored. Several leaders reportedly declined to accept the new assignments.
Former minister MR Vijayabaskar resigned as an MLA earlier this week, while former minister C Vijayabaskar had already resigned from both the Assembly and the AIADMK. They will now join TVK along with former minister MSM Anandan.
AIADMK office-bearers from Karur and Pudukkottai districts are also expected to join the party.
In addition, several former AIADMK MLAs and district-level functionaries are likely to participate in the induction programme scheduled to be held in Mahabalipuram.