The induction of former ministers, ex-MLAs and party functionaries is being projected by TVK as a sign of its growing organisational reach across Tamil Nadu.
Ever since three rebel AIADMK legislators resigned and defected to Chief Minister Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the principal Opposition DMK and the AIADMK, along with others, have attacked the ruling party, accusing it of blatant horse trading to shore up its majority in the Assembly.
During the trust vote held on May 13 for the Vijay government, 25 of the 47 AIADMK legislators, led by former ministers C. Ve. Shanmugam, S.P. Velumani and C. Vijayabhaskar, voted in favour of the government, triggering a split in the party.
There is a popular phrase, “so close, yet so far.” In fact, the current situation of the AIADMK breakaway faction reminds one of another adage: “all dressed up and nowhere to go.”
The VCK and the League also took a dig at the DMK for allegedly attempting to form a government in alliance with the AIADMK, disregarding the mandate in favour of actor-politician Vijay, whose TVK emerged as the single largest party.
The AIADMK’s internal divide came into the open after CV Shanmugam announced support for the Vijay-led government and ruled out any alliance with the DMK.
The crisis unfolded during the Assembly proceedings on Monday after both Palaniswami and Velumani separately approached Pro-tem Speaker Karuppiah, each claiming to command the support of the majority of AIADMK MLAs and asserting their right to lead the party in the Assembly.
The assembly elections of 2026 may eventually be remembered less for individual victories than for the collapse of political certainties that had governed West Bengal and Tamil Nadu for decades.
Even as the AIADMK is yet to recover from the severe drubbing it suffered in the Assembly elections, the party has now split, with a rival faction commanding a two-thirds majority on Monday submitting letters staking claim to the post of Legislature Party leader, challenging party General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS).
The latest boost to Vijay's party came after the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) formally extended support.
