Kanyakumari, Oct 9: In a significant development, senior AIADMK leader and Kanyakumari MLA, N Thalavai Sundaram, was “temporarily relieved” from his positions as district secretary and organizing secretary of the AIADMK’s Kanyakumari (East) district unit on Tuesday. The decision, announced by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), comes in response to Sundaram’s involvement in flagging off a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) route march, which reportedly contradicted the party’s current stance.Sundaram, a seasoned politician and close associate of Palaniswami, has held key roles within the party, including ministerial positions in former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s cabinet, Rajya Sabha MP, and as the Tamil Nadu government’s representative in New Delhi. He is also the lone AIADMK MLA from Kanyakumari district, making this suspension a significant political event ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.
Palaniswami, in a statement, justified the temporary suspension, stating, “Since there is a need to investigate complaints of him going against party rules, Thalavai Sundaram has been temporarily relieved of his party posts.” This decision highlights AIADMK’s clear intent to distance itself from actions that could rekindle speculation of a rapprochement with the BJP or its affiliates like the RSS.
The controversy stems from Sundaram’s recent participation in a route march organized by the RSS to commemorate its 100th anniversary. Despite the AIADMK breaking away from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and severing ties with the BJP in 2023, Sundaram’s participation in an RSS event sparked tensions within the party ranks. The AIADMK has been distancing itself from the BJP, particularly after differences with Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, and has emphasized that it would pursue its own path in the run-up to the 2026 state assembly polls.
Reacting to his suspension, Sundaram expressed indifference, stating, “I have been flagging off the march for the past few years. I was invited in my capacity as the MLA of Kanyakumari and I only exercised my duty towards my constituency. There is nothing wrong in flagging an RSS march.”
This episode reflects Palaniswami’s firm stance against any overtures that may weaken AIADMK’s independent political course or suggest a rekindling of ties with the BJP. Analysts believe that by taking swift action against a close confidante like Sundaram, EPS is sending a clear message that the AIADMK will not tolerate any actions that conflict with its ideology and objectives, particularly with the DMK as the primary rival for the upcoming elections.
The AIADMK’s break from the NDA was marked by mounting tensions between Palaniswami and BJP leadership, particularly K Annamalai. Since then, AIADMK leaders have been vocally critical of the BJP on multiple fronts, firmly asserting that the party would not consider any reconciliation.