AIADMK is witnessing growing internal tension after its disappointing performance in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with party MLAs reportedly divided over whether to support the ruling TVK government led by Vijay.
The party contested 167 of the 234 Assembly seats but managed to win only 47, triggering dissatisfaction among sections of its leadership and legislators.
Following the results, a series of meetings were held under the leadership of party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami to assess the situation and discuss the party’s future strategy.
However, according to PTI, sharp differences emerged during these discussions.
MLAs divided over backing Vijay-led government
One faction within the AIADMK reportedly opposed any form of support to the TVK government, while another group favoured extending outside support to ensure political relevance in the new Assembly.
The situation became more serious after some MLAs allegedly questioned Palaniswami’s leadership and demanded accountability for the party’s weak electoral showing.
Adding to the speculation, several senior leaders and former ministers, including C Ve Shanmugam and S P Velumani, skipped the meetings chaired by Palaniswami along with their loyalist MLAs.
Accrding to PTI, Party insiders claimed that these leaders and their supporters were more open to backing the Vijay-led government.
“There is a clear split within the party. Many MLAs want a change in leadership. If Palaniswami continues as a leader, there is a possibility of some MLAs extending support to the TVK,” said former AIADMK leader K C Palanisamy.
He further said that Palaniswami should “voluntarily step down” from the party’s top post so that it can reunite and face the next election.
Concerns grow over possible split in party
Political observers believe the coming days could be crucial for the AIADMK, especially if disagreements over leadership and alliance strategy continue to deepen.
Political analyst Sathyalaya Ramakrishnan said the party leadership must act quickly to prevent divisions from widening further.
“I feel till now the party is united since all the AIADMK MLAs were sitting together in the Assembly. The senior leaders of the AIADMK must ensure that there is no split in the party.”
The developments come at a sensitive time for the AIADMK, which is trying to rebuild its political position after suffering one of its weakest Assembly performances in recent years.