Chennai, May 28:
Former AIADMK minister Vellamandi R Natarajan has joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), party sources said on Thursday, marking another setback for the AIADMK.
Natarajan met TVK general secretary Bussy N Anand and formally joined the party on May 27. His induction comes amid a series of defections from the AIADMK camp, with four rebel MLAs having already resigned from their posts and joined the ruling party earlier this week.
A prominent leader from Tiruchirappalli, Natarajan was elected from the Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency in 2016 and served as Tourism Minister. During the leadership crisis in the AIADMK, he had extended support to former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. He later rejoined the AIADMK in February this year following Panneerselvamās political realignment.
With Natarajan becoming the fifth AIADMK-linked leader to switch sides within a week, the developments indicate growing churn within the opposition party, even as the ruling TVK continues to consolidate its ranks.