3 AIADMK MLAs resign, join TVK in major Tamil Nadu shift

Chennai: In a significant political development that could reshape Tamil Nadu’s post-election equation, three legislators of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) resigned from the State Legislative Assembly on Monday and later joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), intensifying speculation over possible by-elections and further defections.

The three MLAs identified as Madurantakam MLA Maragatham Kumaravel, Dharapuram MLA Sathyabama, and Perundurai MLA Jayakumar submitted their resignation letters to Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar before formally switching allegiance.

Resignations submitted to assembly speaker

The MLAs, reportedly close to the AIADMK faction led by former ministers CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani, handed over their resignation letters to the Speaker before making their political move official.

Their resignation has added fresh uncertainty to Tamil Nadu’s legislative arithmetic and is being closely watched by political observers across the state.

Immediate switch to TVK after resignation

Soon after submitting their resignation, the three former AIADMK legislators reportedly met Minister Aadhav Arjuna and formally joined the ruling TVK.

The development marks a notable expansion for the TVK government led by Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, which continues to consolidate its position following the Assembly election outcome.

Tamil Nadu post-election political scenario

The political landscape in Tamil Nadu remains fluid following the Assembly elections, in which TVK contested 233 constituencies and initially secured 107 seats after Vijay vacated the Tiruchy East constituency.

However, the party fell short of the majority mark of 118 seats required to form the government, leading it to seek external and coalition support.

Coalition arrangements and government formation

Following negotiations, the Indian National Congress aligned with TVK and was accommodated in the government with two ministerial berths.

Other parties, including the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), also joined the TVK-led government.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) extended unconditional outside support to the government.

AIADMK factional dynamics and internal shifts

At the same time, around 25 AIADMK MLAs aligned with the faction led by CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani had reportedly shown a favourable stance towards the TVK government.

This development had triggered speculation about a possible split within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, although the Velumani-led faction was eventually not accommodated in the cabinet.

Reconciliation efforts within AIADMK

Reports suggest that reconciliation discussions have since begun between the Velumani-Shanmugam faction and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.

Political sources indicate that efforts are underway to manage internal divisions and prevent further fragmentation within the party structure.

Assembly seat vacancies and by-election possibility

With the resignation of the three MLAs, and with Vijay already having vacated the Tiruchy East seat, the number of vacant constituencies in Tamil Nadu is expected to rise to four.

The affected constituencies include Madurantakam, Dharapuram, Perundurai, and Tiruchy East, raising the likelihood of multiple by-elections in the coming months.

Political uncertainty ahead in Tamil Nadu

Political observers are closely monitoring whether additional MLAs from the Velumani-Shanmugam camp may follow a similar path in the coming days, potentially triggering further shifts in the State Assembly’s composition.

The evolving situation underscores the continuing volatility in Tamil Nadu politics following the election outcome, with both AIADMK and TVK undergoing significant internal and external realignments.

IANS inputs