AIADMK Internal Crisis Deepens: Expelled Leader Accuses Party Chief of Family Interference

Expelled AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan (File).

Chennai:

The internal divisions within Tamil Nadu's main opposition party, AIADMK, deepened on Monday after expelled leader KA Sengottaiyan publicly accused party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami's son of inappropriate interference in party affairs.

Sengottaiyan, a nine-time MLA who was expelled last week, claimed that such family interference was the root cause of the rifts emerging within the AIADMK just months before a crucial election. His expulsion came after he advocated for the return of other senior leaders who had been previously expelled, including O Panneerselvam, who had challenged EPS for party control.

In his scathing remarks, Sengottaiyan accused EPS of practicing dynastic politics, stating, "Looking at problems arising one after the other... it is a well-known fact that his son interferes with political affairs, as do his cousin and son-law." EPS had risen to become both AIADMK leader and Chief Minister following the power vacuum created by J Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016.

The AIADMK leadership promptly refuted these allegations, insisting that the party adheres to democratic principles that provide every member an opportunity to rise to leadership positions.

Tamil Nadu's Assembly election is scheduled for April-May next year, with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its ally Congress facing off against the AIADMK and BJP. In preparation for this contest, the AIADMK has been dealing with internal power struggles.

Sengottaiyan had been advocating for the return of expelled leaders like OPS and VK Sasikala, Jayalalithaa's former aide, arguing that only a unified AIADMK could successfully challenge Chief Minister MK Stalin and his DMK government. EPS responded by first removing Sengottaiyan and his supporters from party positions before completely expelling him from the AIADMK last week.

AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran, another expelled AIADMK leader, criticized the expulsion as a "childish act... that does not serve party's interests."

The expulsion followed a significant meeting where Sengottaiyan, OPS, Sasikala, and Dhinakaran gathered in Ramanathapuram district to honor Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar, a freedom fighter and important figure for the politically influential Thevar community. This meeting was widely interpreted as an attempt to realign AIADMK forces, specifically reviving a Thevar-centric political axis in southern Tamil Nadu before next year's election.

Both Dhinakaran and OPS belong to the Thevar community, while AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami hails from the Gounder community.

Following his expulsion, Sengottaiyan emotionally denounced EPS's decision as "illegal" and invoked the names of party icons Jayalalithaa and AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran: "I joined this party before EPS... served under MGR and Jayalalithaa. They recognised my loyalty and hard work. Today, I am sleepless and in tears..." he told reporters.

The effort to bring back OPS, Sasikala, and Dhinakaran is viewed as a battle over Jayalalithaa's legacy and an attempt to restore the party to its former successful era. The late actor-politician served as Chief Minister for over 14 years between 1991 and 2016.

Since her death, the AIADMK has suffered three consecutive election defeats - the 2019 and 2024 parliamentary elections and the 2021 Assembly election. Many anticipate another loss next year, failures which Sengottaiyan attributes to EPS's autocratic leadership style.

Sengottaiyan's expulsion and the potential emergence of a Thevar axis as a direct challenge to the EPS-led AIADMK represent dramatic developments in Tamil Nadu politics. Adding to this complex scenario is the possibility of an alliance between these four leaders and actor-politician Vijay's newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

Vijay and the TVK, working to recover from negative publicity surrounding the Karur stampede, have clearly stated they want no association with either the DMK or BJP in the upcoming election. However, they have been noticeably less critical of the AIADMK, particularly regarding MG Ramachandran and his legacy.

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