Senior AIADMK Leader Anwhar Raajhaa Joins DMK Ahead Of 2026 Polls

In a major political development ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, senior AIADMK leader and former Minister Anwhar Raajhaa formally joined the ruling DMK in the presence of Chief Minister and party president MK Stalin at the DMK headquarters in Chennai today.

Raajhaa's switch comes amid growing discomfort within the AIADMK over its revived alliance with the BJP. Speaking after joining the DMK, Raajhaa launched a scathing attack on both the AIADMK leadership and the BJP, calling the national party a "negative force" in Tamil Nadu. He said, "AIADMK is drifting away. The party is now trapped in the BJP's hands."

Accusing the BJP of undermining its ally, he said, "Not once did Amit Shah mention EPS by name as the Chief Ministerial candidate. BJP's aim is not to win elections in Tamil Nadu, but to destroy the AIADMK and fight the DMK."

Citing similar political developments "orchestrated by the BJP" in West Bengal and Karnataka, he expressed confidence that the people of Tamil Nadu would never accept the BJP, which he described as a party that seeks to divide and dominate rather than govern.

A veteran AIADMK leader, Anwhar Raajhaa served as Labour Minister under J. Jayalalithaa between 2001 and 2006 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Ramanathapuram in the 2014 general elections.

His departure comes at a time when the BJP has been pushing for a coalition government in the state if the NDA wins in 2026. Raajhaa, however, had recently asserted in an interview, "AIADMK will form its own government with a clear majority. BJP's ambitions to take root in Tamil Nadu will never succeed."

AIADMK sources say party chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) is expected to expel Raajhaa soon. This would mark his second ouster from the party-he was previously expelled in 2021 for pushing for V.K. Sasikala's reinduction, but was readmitted two years later.

The BJP is yet to respond to the sharp criticism levelled by Raajhaa.

However an AIADMK leader told NDTV " Raja's exit will make no difference to the party.  Already only his body was here, his soul was there (DMK).