AIADMK split down the middle as EPS expels 25 leaders for backing Vijay’s TVK in floor test

Chennai: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami expelled 25 functionaries from the party after they extended support to CM Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) during the floor test Wednesday.

Palaniswami relieved senior leaders including Natham R. Viswanathan, S.P. Velumani, C.V. Shanmugam, R. Kamaraj, and C. Vijayabaskar of their positions in the party.

The action comes in the wake of a vertical split in the party, with the rebel faction led by Velumani and Shanmugam stating that they rejected the proposal for an AIADMK government supported by the DMK, stating it would erase the party’s 53-year anti-DMK identity. The rebel MLAs instead chose to back the victorious TVK, accepting the people’s mandate for Vijay as chief minister.

Palaniswami has moved swiftly to fill the vacancies by appointing loyalists to key district units. The new appointees include former minister Dindigul C. Sreenivasan as district secretary for Dindigul East. Legislator R, Rajendran for Cuddalore South, Former MP C. Sivasami for Tiruppur suburban, and Former MLA V.P.B. Paramasivam for Dindigul West.

This expulsion is seen as an attempt by the EPS faction to consolidate control over the party organisation amid the ongoing crisis. The rebels had reportedly defied the party whip and backed the TVK government in the trust vote, contributing to its victory with 144 votes in favour.

The developments mark a significant escalation in the AIADMK’s internal rift following the party’s performance in the recent assembly elections. The split has led to competing claims within the party, with the rebel group asserting for appointing Velumani as the leader of the legislator party. Party sources indicated that further disciplinary actions and organisational revamps could follow as EPS seeks to strengthen the official faction ahead of future political battles.

Responding to the expulsion, the faction led by Shanmugam interacted the media and accused Palaniswami of being responsible for the repeated defeat of the party. “It is we who decided that there must be a single leadership. We are the ones enduring the punishment for that. He did not become the general secretary on his own. It is we who selected EPS and our expulsion is invalid,” Shanmugam told the media.

“The defeat faced by the AIADMK in the recently concluded assembly elections must be discussed. We need to deliberate and analyse the reasons behind these continuous defeats. Particularly after Amma’s demise in 2016, we have consistently faced defeats in parliamentary elections, assembly elections, by-elections, or local body elections,” he said.

He also blamed EPS for not taking the responsibility for the loss of the party in the assembly elections. Recalling that the late AIADMK leader and former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa would take responsibility for defeat and had the capability to bring the party back to power again, he said, “After every defeat, Amma would declare that she would restore MGR’s rule once more, and she succeeded in bringing the party back to office for a second term. She did not consider herself as supreme and would not be arrogant and also not hide away after defeat.”

(Edited by Shashank Kishan)