AIADMK Claims 'All Is Well' After Resort Buzz Over 'Pro-TVK' MLAs

Fresh political drama unfolded in Tamil Nadu Thursday after more than a dozen newly-elected AIADMK legislators were shifted to a resort in Puducherry, triggering speculation of a rift within the party over extension of support to actor Vijay's TVK to form the next government.

The AIADMK has dismissed reports of any rebellion, insisting that 'all is well' within the party and claiming the MLAs were only moved to prevent alleged poaching attempts by the TVK.

AIADMK sources told NDTV the confusion - over factions backing the TVK - arose because party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami initially remained silent on support to Vijay; this was after the superstar actor's outfit emerged as the single-largest party in last month's election.

That silence, sources admitted, fuelled speculation of some supporting Vijay.

The same sources said EPS had now clearly conveyed the party's stand against support for the TVK, and that all party MLAs had fallen in line with his decision.

The earlier narrative was that the 12+ MLAs at the Puducherry resort - about 120km down the road from a resort at which the TVK had sequestered its MLAs - were putting pressure on EPS to support the TVK. The Puducherry stay had allegedly been arranged by senior AIADMK leader and ex-minister CV Shanmugam, though he later denied engineering any such move.

The AIADMK, meanwhile, has also clarified that the TVK has not approached it for support. "TVK has not sought AIADMK's support," Shanmugam said, adding, "The party has to decide."

Senior leader KP Munusamy echoed that line, saying, "AIADMK has not extended any support to the TVK. With the approval of party chief EPS, I am announcing this."

The political churn comes after the AIADMK suffered its fourth consecutive electoral setback following the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa - in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the 2021 Assembly election, the 2024 Lok Sabha poll, and now the 2026 Assembly election.

The scale of that churn was underlined by the TVK's huge win; the party, contesting in its debut election, won 108 of the state's 234 seats. However, it finished agonisingly short of majority.

Vijay needs 10 more seats, 11 once he resigns the Trichy East seat to hold on to Perambur.

He has already secured the support of the Congress' five MLAs after the national party decided to extend conditional backing to TVK. And he has sought support from the two Left parties - the CPI and CPIM, who have four seats between them - and DMK ally VCK, which has two seats.

The Left parties are expected to take a call on the outreach today.

However, TVK sources have insisted Vijay is not keen on seeking support from the AIADMK because of its alliance with the BJP, which he has repeatedly described as his ideological rival.

Sources also said TVK fears any arrangement involving AIADMK could open the door for BJP influence in a future TVK-led government.

Though TVK staked claim to form the government on Wednesday itself, the move has been delayed after Governor CP Radhakrishnan reportedly asked Vijay to furnish a list of all 118 MLAs backing him before formally inviting him to form the government.