Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has claimed that former AIADMK minister K.A. Sengottaiyan has not truly changed his party, but only shifted to another “branch” under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.Speaking to reporters at an event in Ezumathur, Erode district, he alleged that Sengottaiyan’s move to a different party was carried out on Amit Shah’s advice and remained within the broader BJP camp.
Udhayanidhi accused AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) of forgetting the “Dravidian” identity embedded in his own party’s name.
He said EPS did not raise his voice when the Governor allegedly insulted Dravidian ideology, and argued that leaders like C.N. Annadurai, M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa no longer had a place in EPS’s mind, which he claimed was “filled only with Amit Shah.
According to Udhayanidhi, even senior AIADMK leaders seek permission from the BJP before deciding which party they can join, suggesting an excessive dependence on the national party. He further charged that for several parties in Tamil Nadu, including the AIADMK, Amit Shah’s residence has effectively become their “headquarters.”
Udhayanidhi concluded by urging political forces in the state to remain united to “protect Tamil Nadu from subservient forces,” in an apparent reference to parties he accused of acting as the BJP’s followers.
He framed this unity as essential to safeguarding the state’s interests and Dravidian values.