"Will Return To NDA If...": TTV Dhinakaran Lays Down An EPS Condition

Chennai:

Days after announcing his party's exit from the NDA, AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran on Saturday made it clear that his return to the alliance hinges on the AIADMK replacing Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) as its Chief Ministerial face.

The comment comes even as BJP leaders, including Tamil Nadu state president Nainar Nagendran, appealed to Dhinakaran to reconsider his decision and rejoin the NDA fold.

"How can we accept someone who betrayed us? Will you or anyone accept? If the Chief Ministerial candidate is changed and if anyone else is announced, we will certainly return to the alliance," Mr Dhinakaran said in Madurai.

The Battle Traces Back to 2017

The rift goes back to the turbulent months following J Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016. With the party in disarray, VK Sasikala - Mr Dhinakaran's aunt and long-time aide of Jayalalithaa - took over as AIADMK general secretary and handpicked EPS to be Chief Minister, sidelining then stand-in Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS).

But the equations quickly shifted. As Ms Sasikala began serving her jail term in the disproportionate assets case, EPS patched up with OPS and consolidated control. Soon after, both Ms Sasikala and Mr Dhinakaran were expelled from the AIADMK - a move Mr Dhinakaran has repeatedly called a "betrayal."

In the past, however, EPS has asserted that he was made Chief Minister not by Ms Sasikala, but by the AIADMK MLAs themselves - a claim aimed at undercutting Ms Sasikala's role in his elevation.

AMMK's Stand

Since then, Mr Dhinakaran has maintained that the purpose of launching his party, AMMK, was to "redeem AIADMK from betrayers." His latest statement underscores that EPS's leadership continues to be the only obstacle to reconciliation.

While AMMK has so far managed only a small vote share, political observers say Mr Dhinakaran - along with Ms Sasikala and OPS, all hailing from the influential Thevar community - has dented the AIADMK's support base in the south.

With Tamil Nadu due for elections in 2026, Mr Dhinakaran has kept the door open for negotiations, but his message is clear: he will only return to NDA if AIADMK changes its Chief Ministerial candidate.

AIADMK has said there is no question of replacing EPS. 

"After Amit Shah announced EPS would lead the alliance, was Dhinakaran sleeping for two months? Dhinakaran's party structure is eroded now, most of his functionaries have switched to AIADMK. So he can't even request this, let alone dictating," said Kovai Sathyan, AIADMK spokesperson.