EPS expels dissident AIADMK leader Sengottaiyan from party

A day after he dared the party leadership to remove him, dissident leader K A Sengottaiyan, who raised the banner of revolt for demanding the homecoming of expelled leaders V K Sasikala, T T V Dhinakaran, and O Panneerselvam, was axed from the AIADMK on Friday.

Announcing the expulsion of Sengottaiyan, a former Minister, from the primary membership of the party, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), in a statement said the legislator from Gobichettipalayam in Erode district, was “engaging in activities contrary to the party’s principles and discipline.

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EPS also charged him with hobnobbing with those expelled from the party – Sasikala, TVV and OPS.

“Despite being fully aware that party members should have no truck with those who were expelled. But, Sengottaiyan had repeatedly violated the directives of the party leadership, acting in a manner detrimental to the unity and integrity of the party,” read the statement.

Interestingly, this comes a day after Sengottaiyan addressed the media along with Sasikala, TTV and OPS, after attending the Gurupooja of Thevar icon U Munturamalingam at Pasumpon.

“I will only be happy if expelled. I am working for the unification of the AIADMK, which is the need of the hour. We all want to restore MGR-Jayalalithaa rule,” he said on Thursday, which was seen as a direct challenge to the leadership of EPS.

TTV Dhinakaran, heading the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), and Panneerselvam leading the AIADMK Workers Retrieval Committee, and Sasikala, confidant of late Jayalalithaa, have been expelled from the AIADMK.

Having waited in vain that the BJP national leadership would facilitate their re-entry into the AIADMK, TTV and OPS, had to leave the NDA in which they fought the last Lok Sabha election after the re-entry of the AIADMK into the NDA for the 2026 assembly poll.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah too had made it clear that the BJP would not interfere in the affairs of the AIADMK, forcing them to desert the NDA.

However, a couple of months back, Sengottaiyan raised a banner of revolt and set a deadline of 10 days for EPS to initiate the process for the return of the expelled leaders.

Addressing a press conference then, he said the party had been facing defeat in successive elections since 2019 and the cadre were distraught.

“Uniting AIADMK workers of all shades is necessary to stem the losing streak,” he had said. In retaliation, EPS stripped him of his post as District Secretary of Erode District and his supporters were removed from all party posts. And the tipping point was Sengottaiyan addressing the media along with Sasikala, TTV and OPS and throwing the gauntlet at EPS.