AIADMK Rift Deepens as C.V. Shanmugam Backs TVK, Accuses EPS of Exploring DMK Tie-Up

Chennai, May 2026 : The internal crisis within the AIADMK escalated sharply on Tuesday after senior party leader and former Minister C.V. Shanmugam publicly accused party General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) of attempting to explore an alliance with the DMK and announced support for the Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government.

Addressing the media alongside senior AIADMK leaders, including former Minister S.P. Velumani, Shanmugam said the party was going through one of the most difficult periods in its history following consecutive electoral setbacks.

“The AIADMK is facing repeated defeats, and there is an urgent need to revive the movement founded by M.G. Ramachandran and strengthened by J. Jayalalithaa,” Shanmugam said. He added that the party leadership must introspect and take corrective steps to restore public confidence.

Referring to the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, in which the AIADMK was reduced to just 47 seats and pushed to third position, Shanmugam admitted that the alliance led by the party had failed to win the trust of the electorate.

He alleged that during post-election internal consultations, EPS suggested exploring the possibility of forming a government with support from the DMK. According to Shanmugam, the proposal shocked several senior leaders and legislators.

“AIADMK was created to oppose the DMK politically and ideologically. We were stunned when such a suggestion was discussed. We clearly informed him that any move towards the DMK would completely damage the identity and legacy of the AIADMK,” he said.

Shanmugam further claimed that a majority of AIADMK MLAs later passed a resolution declaring that the party’s pre-poll alliance arrangement no longer existed and decided to extend support to the Vijay-led TVK government in the Assembly.

He announced that senior leader S.P. Velumani had been elected as the new leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party, while former Minister C. Vijayabaskar had been chosen as the party whip in the Assembly.

The former Minister also revealed that several senior leaders had urged EPS to immediately convene the AIADMK General Council to analyse the reasons behind the repeated election defeats and chart a future course for the party.

The developments come amid widening divisions within the AIADMK, with rival camps led by EPS and Velumani holding parallel meetings and consultations over the past few days.

The political crisis is now expected to spill openly into the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, where both factions have staked claim to the party’s leadership inside the House.

According to sources, both EPS and Velumani separately approached Pro-tem Speaker Karuppiah during Assembly proceedings on Monday, each claiming to command the support of a majority of AIADMK MLAs and seeking recognition as the official Legislature Party leader.

The unprecedented situation has triggered intense political debate and legal scrutiny over who would be officially recognised as the leader of the opposition party in the Assembly and who would hold the authority to appoint the party whip and represent the AIADMK’s official position.

Political observers in Chennai said the Speaker’s eventual decision could have far-reaching implications for the future of the AIADMK and the balance of power within the opposition camp.

Constitutional experts noted that the process of recognising a legislature party leader usually involves elected MLAs meeting after the election to choose a leader and formally informing the Speaker through a resolution endorsed by the party leadership.

However, legal complications arise when the recognised party leadership and a majority of MLAs support different individuals.

Experts pointed out that Supreme Court rulings in previous political disputes, including those related to Maharashtra, have emphasised the importance of determining which faction represents the “real political party” while also taking legislative strength into consideration.

Legal analysts further explained that if more than two-thirds of the AIADMK’s 47 MLAs formally break away or merge with another political formation, the split could gain protection under anti-defection laws.

Until such a threshold is reached, constitutional experts said the authority to appoint the whip and determine the party’s official stand in the Assembly would continue to remain with the leadership recognised by the Election Commission and the Speaker.

With both camps openly challenging each other, the battle for control of the AIADMK now appears set to intensify both politically and legally in the coming days.

Team Maverick