TVK Laps Up More AIADMK Dissidents, Minister's '90% Cadre In A Month' Warning

For the AIADMK, the meteoric rise of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu has added a whole new dimension to the cliche - politics is unpredictable. Since the TVK's poll triumph, which has paused - if not ended - the six-decade-long Dravidian duopoly, the E Palaniswami-steered party is struggling to keep its flock together but has failed to stop the internal bleeding. The latest setback has come in the form of the exit of four senior leaders - former AIADMK minister Vellamandi Natarajan, former MLAs Sadhan Prabhakar and Natarajan, and former transport union leader R Kamalakannan - and other party functionaries. What rubbed salt in the party's already fresh wounds is TVK politician and state minister Aadhav Arjuna's declaration that 90 per cent of the AIADMK is ready to merge with the Vijay-led party within a month.

The fresh tranche of AIADMK erosion took place in the presence of Arjuna, TVK general secretary N Anand, and minister K A Sengottaiyan, who welcomed the defecting politicians into the party's fold. A day before, rebel MLAs, who sided with Chief Minister Vijay in the floor test, had met with Palaniswami to call a truce, providing a much-needed breather to the AIADMK leadership. Thursday's defections and the TVK minister's warning, however, indicate the crisis within is still simmering.

Arjuna linked the exits to the period following former chief minister J Jayalalithaa's demise, stating that the AIADMK boss had made decisions that went against the collective mindset of the AIADMK cadre.

"AIADMK won only 47 seats, finishing third. Despite this, EPS was planning to become the Chief Minister. When leaders like CV Shanmugam and C Vijayabaskar questioned this, a conspiracy came out that EPS was planning to join hands with Udhayanidhi Stalin," he said, pointing out that the Left parties were the first to oppose the alleged move, followed by the Congress and VCK.

Also read: Rebel AIADMK MLAs Reconcile With E Palaniswami Days After Backing Vijay's TVK

Offered Nothing To AIADMK Leaders: TVK

He, however, claimed the TVK hadn't made any overtures to the turncoats and that they joined without being prompted, highlighting deep fissures within AIADMK.

"TVK didn't offer anything to any MLA and other AIADMK leaders. They all willingly joined TVK by placing their trust in our leader Vijay," he said, adding that "90% of the AIADMK cadre are ready to join TVK in one month."

The minister's assessment might be construed as political hyperbole. But the fact that all rebel MLAs haven't joined Wednesday's truce triggers doubts as to the party's unity. 

Former AIADMK minister and rebel MLA C Vijayabaskar held a consultative meeting with his supporters in Pudukottai to decide his future course of action. He was not present when rebel AIADMK MLAs met Edappadi Palaniswami on Wednesday for a compromise. However, he was there with S P Velumani for the meeting with the Speaker.

Also read: Vijay Wins Floor Test With 144 Votes, 24 AIADMK MLAs Vote For Him

"For me, my constituency people are so important. Many of my supporters have given many opinions. I will make the decision," he said.

Four newly elected MLAs have already joined Vijay's party.

AIADMK leader S P Velumani found nothing amiss in the precarious situation. At the Coimbatore airport, he maintained that everything was going well, and the party remained united.

AIADMK MP Inbadurai acknowledged that the party is facing a Vijay-induced crisis.

"The current politics in Tamil Nadu is a war between the MGR legacy and the Vijay legacy," he said, adding, "Chief Minister Vijay is trying to weaken EPS by pulling ADMK MLAs and ending the MGR legacy. However, in the end, MGR will win."

With inputs from Swarnamathi A