AIADMK Expels Veteran Leader KA Sengottaiyan Amid Internal Power Struggle Over Jayalalithaa's Legacy

Chennai: The AIADMK, Tamil Nadu's primary opposition party, has expelled veteran leader KA Sengottaiyan from its primary membership. The senior politician had advocated for the reinstatement of dismissed figures including former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, VK Sasikala (confidante of party icon Jayalalithaa), and TTV Dhinakaran.

Party members have been instructed to cease all communication with Sengottaiyan. When approached for comment, the expelled leader stated he would provide his response at 11 am on Saturday.

The expulsion occurred Friday evening, just 24 hours after Sengottaiyan and the four aforementioned leaders—often characterized as the BJP's 'B team'—gathered in Ramanathapuram district of southern Tamil Nadu to honor Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar, a freedom fighter and significant figure for the politically influential Thevar community.

Political analysts viewed this gathering as an attempt to realign the AIADMK, specifically revitalizing a Thevar-centric political axis in the state's southern region before upcoming elections next year. Both Dhinakaran and OPS belong to the Thevar community, while current AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami represents the Gounder community.

Sengottaiyan's public comments were perceived as directly challenging EPS's leadership. Reports last month suggested the nine-term MLA had presented EPS with an ultimatum to forgive past grievances and reintegrate OPS, Sasikala, and Dhinakaran, arguing that only a unified AIADMK could successfully challenge Chief Minister MK Stalin and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Subsequently, Sengottaiyan and his supporters were removed from party positions, prompting Dhinakaran to criticize the move as "childish" and detrimental to the party's interests.

Last week, Sengottaiyan denied issuing any ultimatum, claiming his statements were "misinterpreted" by certain media outlets. "I never mentioned a '10-day deadline'... I merely suggested efforts should commence within 10 days, with the process potentially extending over a month," he clarified at a private function.

When questioned about reported confusion within the AIADMK resulting from demands for reinstating the three expelled leaders, the former School Education Minister tersely responded, "That is your view."

AIADMK chief Palaniswami has strongly opposed Sengottaiyan's demands. In a forceful statement last month, EPS referenced "certain individuals creating problems" and declared, "We have identified them and will soon resolve this issue. Nobody can damage the AIADMK."

The campaign to reincorporate OPS, Sasikala, and Dhinakaran is widely interpreted as a contest over Jayalalithaa's legacy and an attempt to restore the party to its former successful configuration. The late actor-politician served as Chief Minister for over 14 years between 1991 and 2016, when she passed away.

Since Jayalalithaa's death, the AIADMK has suffered three consecutive electoral defeats: the 2019 and 2024 parliamentary elections and the 2021 Assembly election, with most analysts predicting another loss next year.

The AIADMK has renewed its alliance with the occasionally-aligned Bharatiya Janata Party for the upcoming election, reviving a relationship that dramatically dissolved in September 2023.

However, this alliance has faced internal criticism from party members including Sengottaiyan, amid appeals for the AIADMK—which shares dominance of Tamil Nadu's political landscape with the DMK—to return to its foundational principles. EPS has countered by asserting that the BJP actually "saved" the AIADMK after "certain individuals attempted to hijack the party following Jayalalithaa's death," an implicit reference to OPS and his rivals.

The BJP has maintained neutrality regarding this internal dispute, characterizing it as a 'party conflict' and emphasizing its focus remains on contesting the election alongside the AIADMK.