CHENNAI: Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam is increasingly inclined to align his outfit, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Thondarkal Urimai Meetpu Kazhagam (AIADMTUMK), with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), following the breakdown of reunification efforts with the AIADMK.

A large section of the AIADMTUMK functionaries has conveyed its readiness to move towards TVK, led by Vijay, to politically counter AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami after he rejected repeated attempts at reunification.

A smaller section within the outfit has indicated its willingness to support the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), reflecting divergent views among party functionaries.

Panneerselvam, who heads the AIADMTUMK, has decided to defer a final announcement until after the Pongal festival.

While postponing the decision by a few weeks, he has conveyed internally that he would no longer pursue reunification with the AIADMK and would instead focus on charting an independent political course based on prevailing ground realities.

As part of this process, Panneerselvam held individual consultations with district secretaries to assess their preferences.

Sources said more than 80 per cent of them favoured aligning with TVK, arguing that the NDA had distanced itself from him and that returning to the alliance for a limited number of seats would undermine his political standing.

These functionaries reportedly felt that an association with TVK would offer greater relevance and bargaining power in the evolving political landscape of Tamil Nadu.

According to sources, around 15 per cent of the functionaries, including a few senior leaders, suggested that extending support to the DMK would be a more pragmatic option. However, this view remained a minority opinion during the consultations, with most leaders stressing the need for a clear political repositioning.

Senior leaders within the AIADMTUMK said sufficient time had been given for reunification talks with the AIADMK, but the refusal from Palaniswami effectively closed that chapter.

Several functionaries maintained that future political strategy should be oriented towards defeating Palaniswami rather than seeking reconciliation.

According to sources, Panneerselvam has told his close associates that the AIADMK’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections under Palaniswami’s leadership, including the loss of deposits in multiple constituencies and poor overall rankings, had weakened the party significantly.

He is said to have indicated that any future alliance decision would be guided by the objective of responding politically to this decline and restoring his relevance in Tamil Nadu politics.