Senior AIADMK leader and former minister K. A. Sengottaiyan (KAS) confirmed that he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi.Sengottaiyan, who was removed from all AIADMK posts for demanding party unity, said he discussed the current political situation and stressed the need for AIADMK unity during the meetings.
Speaking at Coimbatore airport, he said he had first told the media that he was going to Haridwar. But after reaching Delhi, he got permission to meet the Union ministers.
“I met both Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman. I explained my stand and spoke about why AIADMK must stay united and strong,” he said. Sengottaiyan also said that debates within the party were natural in a democracy.
During the trip, he also met Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. He requested him to restore the old timings of the Yercaud Express from Erode, as the new schedule was troubling students, traders, and others. The minister assured him the issue would be looked into.
Sengottaiyan returned to Tamil Nadu after a day’s visit to the capital. He did not take questions from the press.
His push for unity comes after he issued a 10-day ultimatum to AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) to bring back ousted leaders. These include O. Panneerselvam, V. K. Sasikala, and T. T. V. Dhinakaran. EPS rejected the demand and removed Sengottaiyan and his supporters from party posts.
Thousands of his followers in Erode district later quit their posts in support of him. The three ousted leaders welcomed Sengottaiyan’s call for unity and said a clearer picture would emerge after the ultimatum.
Meanwhile, former Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai asked expelled AIADMK leaders O. Panneerselvam (OPS) and TTV Dhinakaran to stay calm and avoid public fights. He said the real goal should be to remove the DMK from power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
“OPS and TTV should wait. No need to rush. Fighting in public will not help. The NDA alliance was built with consensus. I request them to be patient,” Annamalai told reporters after watching Y.G. Mahendran’s play Lights On in Mylapore.
He said Dhinakaran has the stature to respect Prime Minister Narendra Modi and should focus on constructive politics. “The NDA will move on the right path,” he added.
Annamalai also noted that Tamil Nadu politics now has multiple players. Vijay’s TVK is preparing for its campaign, and Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi is active. “Traditionally, Tamil Nadu elections have been bipolar. We will know in a few months if a third or fourth front emerges,” he said.