Former AIADMK MP Maitreyan joins DMK

CHENNAI: Former AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan on Wednesday quit the principal opposition party and joined the ruling DMK.

Maitreyan met Chief Minister MK Stalin at DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam on Wednesday morning and formally joined the ruling party.

Talking to the media after joining the DMK, Maitreyan told reporters at Arivalayam that the state was flourishing as a developed state, particularly in education, social development, per capita income and economy under the leadership of Chief Minister Stalin.

Claiming that the victory of DMK in 2026 was a foregone conclusion, Maitreyan said that he would make all efforts for the victory of the DMK.

To a query on the AIADMK, the former RS MP said that the functioning of AIADMK was not good.

"EPS allied with the BJP. Amit Shah announced the alliance. Amit Shah asserted that it would be a coalition government and there would be a common minimum programme (CMP). I wonder, CMP in what -- language policy or denial of SS funds to TN or delimitation effects? There is no clarity on whether they would reach a consensus on the issues? There is much confusion in the AIADMK, and many leaders are silently fuming."

Alluding to the AIADMK being under the control of the BJP, Maitreyan said, "In the DMK, 'thalapathy' (Stalin) will decide alliances. In AIADMK, the switchboard is in Delhi. The leadership of AIADMK will act as per the decisions of Delhi."

Known for his party-hopping habits, Maitreyan was appointed organising secretary of the AIADMK upon his return from the BJP in 2024.

Noticeably, Maitreyan had quit the AIADMK and joined his parent party BJP only in 2023 after his prolonged sidelining in the AIADMK following the demise of the former party general secretary J Jayalalithaa.

Maitreyan was among a few AIADMK leaders who sided with rebel O Panneerselvam after a split in the party in 2017. However, Maitreyan was unable to secure any position of prominence even during his second stint in the BJP to which he belonged before 2000.

Maitreyan had served as an RS MP of the AIADMK thrice when Jayalalithaa was the general secretary of the party.