Mass defections from AIADMK as 300+ members, including 4 ministers, join Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam

Chennai: Over 300 members of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) joined Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Saturday at the party headquarters in Panaiyur, near Chennai, citing their inability to serve the public effectively under the AIADMK leadership.

Those who joined included former AIADMK Minister Vellamandi Natarajan, Anna Trade Union Federation State Secretary Kamalakkannan, former Mylapore MLA Natraj, former Minister Anandan, former Paramakudi MLA Sadhan Prabhakar, Tirupathur City Secretary D T Kumar, and several other senior functionaries.

The induction ceremony was held in the presence of TVK General Secretary and Tamil Nadu Rural Development Minister N Anand, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sengottaiyan, and Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna.

Former AIADMK Minister Udumalai Radhakrishnan said that he, along with several senior leaders including Trichy N R Sivapathi, Kadambur Raju, M C Sampath, Panneerselvam, Govindasamy, and Kolathur Krishnamoorthy, had joined TVK.

Recalling the leadership of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, he said party workers had maintained strict discipline during her tenure, adding that her demise had left a major vacuum in the party.

Radhakrishnan said they had remained in the AIADMK for the past five years but were unable to effectively serve the public under prevailing conditions. He added that they now saw the ideals of M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa reflected in Chief Minister Joseph Vijay’s leadership.

He further said they were motivated by the respect and recognition they received in TVK and would work towards strengthening the party ahead of the upcoming local body elections.

Emphasising discipline, he said, “We would carry out whatever responsibility is assigned to us by the leadership.”

He also claimed that more district-level functionaries and senior AIADMK leaders were likely to join TVK in the coming days, adding that their departure from AIADMK came after a prolonged period of dissatisfaction.

Speaking at the event, Minister Sengottaiyan praised TVK’s rise and said the people of Tamil Nadu had voted for change under Chief Minister Vijay’s leadership.

He said, “If there is any movement in Indian history that achieved success within just two years of its formation, it is Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. No matter how many alliances are formed, no one born on Tamil soil can defeat our movement in Tamil Nadu. The people have accepted a leadership capable of delivering a clean administration, and only he can achieve it. Not just tomorrow, but forever, Vijay will remain the permanent Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. I have travelled with the Revolutionary Leader MGR, and I have also worked alongside the Revolutionary Leader Amma.”

Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna echoed the sentiments and claimed that the TVK government had surpassed previous DMK and AIADMK administrations in eliminating corruption.

He said, “We had already said that C Joseph Vijay would become Chief Minister, following in the footsteps of leaders honestly created by the people, such as Anna, MGR, and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma. Today, he is the Chief Minister. AIADMK members mocked Sengottaiyan for sitting with leaders from smaller parties. But he served as a minister in MGR's cabinet, Kumar served in Amma's cabinet, and now both are ministers in the leader Joseph Vijay's cabinet as well.”

He added, “The DMK and AIADMK are asking what achievement TVK has accomplished in just 15 days. Politics in Tamil Nadu has always spoken about protecting secularism. Today, our leader has united Congress, IUML, VCK, and others. Today, there is no corruption in the name of a ‘Chief Minister’s fund’, nor corruption through ministers’ funds. Corruption in sand mining, the Public Works Department, CMDA, and many other departments has disappeared. Chief Minister Vijay has created a corruption-free Tamil Nadu. Administrative change for the benefit of the people itself is victory.”

He further clarified that TVK had not induced any MLAs to join the party, holding the AIADMK leadership responsible for the defections. He also criticised O Panneerselvam for joining the DMK, which he said had “discarded Amma”.

He said, “We did not invite any MLA to TVK by offering inducements. We welcome everyone who comes here with affection, like members of one family. It is this feeling that has encouraged even sitting AIADMK MLAs to leave their party, contest elections honestly, win, and stand with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. It is because AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami decided to align with the DMK that many AIADMK cadres are now ready to leave the AIADMK and join TVK. OPS, who was made Chief Minister by Puratchi Thalaivi Amma, also joined the DMK for the same reason. The same DMK that once discarded Amma is the party that O. Panneerselvam has now joined. Likewise, many chose Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam so they would not have to join the DMK.”

He further claimed that “within one month, 90% of AIADMK members are expected to join Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam,” adding a request that membership drives be conducted every Saturday.

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Rural Development Minister N Anand welcomed the new entrants and expressed confidence that TVK would secure a sweeping victory in the upcoming panchayat elections.

He said, “Those who come to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam will always receive respect. That respect will never diminish. Even if we are ministers, all of you are one among us. Thirty-three years ago, those who travelled on bicycles and pasted posters believing that our leader would become a superstar are the same people who are ministers today. Under no circumstances will our Chief Minister look down on anyone. All of you must work together with him. You will definitely receive due respect here. Positions for all of you will be announced soon. In the upcoming panchayat elections, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam will win in all 234 constituencies. Many TVK legislators became MLAs by spending only Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh. This victory was achieved because of the face and leadership of Vijay. Under no circumstances will we engage in corruption.”

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