The main opposition party in Tamil Nadu for the past decade, now in third place behind the DMK after a stunning political debut by actor Vijay, the AIADMK is facing its worst internal crisis in years, with lawmakers divided over whether to support the new ruling party or stay away.
Increasing numbers of voices are demanding that party leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) general secretary step down over poor performance, multiple reports have suggested over the past two days. The party contested 167 of the 234 seats but won only 47, meaning one of its worst results since the death of founding leader Jay Jayalalithaa in 2016. Its main ally, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre, won one seat, while the alliance’s total was just 53 seats.
The Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor-turned-politician Vijay, emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats, and has since formed the government, with Vijay being sworn in as Prime Minister, succeeding MK Stalin of the DMK.
Split on TVK
In a series of MLA meetings called by EPS after the results, the party showed clear signs of division, news agency PTI reported on Monday.
One section of the AIADMK reportedly opposed providing any support to TVK – which formed the government when DMK allies including the Congress switched sides – while another section favored providing outside support to the Vijay-led administration. External support means stability of the regime but there is no role or responsibility for the AIADMK in the ministry.
The divisions became public when senior leaders CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani, both former ministers, skipped meetings chaired by the BSP along with their supportive aides. Party insiders told PTI that Shanmugam, Velumani and their camp are open to supporting TVK.
As many as 28 AIADMK MLAs held a closed-door meeting in Chennai, formally urging the EPS to extend support to the TVK government, local media reported.
Some AIADMK MLAs spent three days at a resort in Puducherry — a classic political maneuver used to shield lawmakers from outside pressure — before returning to the city.
The role of DMK-AIADMK alliance hype
Shanmugam’s inclination towards TVK is said to have hardened following the buzz that the DMK rival was making back channel initiatives to some sections of the AIADMK to form an unprecedented alliance and oust Vijay.
He was said to be strongly opposed to any interaction with the DMK, which pushed him towards the TVK option.
The DMK has since denied that it was exploring an alliance with the AIADMK.
Calls for the departure of EPS
Some mutual legal agreements have gone beyond requiring policy change; They want to completely change the leadership. Former AIADMK leader KC Palanisamy told PTI: “There is a clear division within the party. Many MLAs want a change in leadership. If Palaniswami continues as leader, there is a possibility that some MLAs will extend support to TVK.”
He said the Socialist People’s Party should “voluntarily step down” so that the party can reunite before the next elections.
EPS has shown no sign of stepping down. He continued to chair party meetings and received a public show of support from at least one outside ally. AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran last week wrote to the Governor of Tamil Nadu, urging him to invite EPS to form the government. This was mostly token support, as the numbers were never in EPS’s favor.
Decline pattern
The AIADMK has suffered a series of electoral setbacks since Jayalalithaa’s death, and internal problems have been mounting for some time.
In September 2025, the EPS removed veteran leader KA Sengottaiyan from all party posts after he publicly demanded the reinstatement of ousted leaders including O Panneerselvam and VK Sasikala, arguing that only a united party could take on the DMK.
The move backfired, leading to mass resignations and open rebellion within the party.
PTI quoted political analyst Sathyalaya Ramakrishnan as saying, “I feel so far the party is united as all the AIADMK MLAs were sitting together in the Assembly. Senior AIADMK leaders should ensure that there is no division in the party. Internal misunderstandings should be resolved through dialogue.”
