Chennai: In a major political development in Tamil Nadu, veteran politician K A Sengottaiyan on Wednesday resigned as the MLA of Gobichettipalayam, paving the way for his entry into actor Vijay’s political party, Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK).

Sengottaiyan tendered his resignation as an MLA to the Assembly Speaker M. Appavu, in Chennai, on Wednesday morning.

Sengottaiyan, a nine-time MLA, is expected to formally join TVK in coming days, marking one of the biggest inductions for the fledgling party ahead of its electoral debut.

The 76-year-old leader had been on the fringes of the AIADMK after he was sacked from the party last month for aligning with ousted leaders including VK Sasikala, O Panneerselvam and TTV Dhinakaran during a unity meeting held in Madurai on October 30.

In recent weeks, Sengottaiyan openly called for a “united AIADMK”, urging party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) to re-induct the expelled leaders to strengthen the opposition against the DMK. EPS responded by stripping him of all party posts, signalling the end of Sengottaiyan’s decades-long association with the AIADMK.