AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) has removed senior leader K. A. Sengottaiyan from key party posts.
He was holding the positions of Organisational Secretary and Erode (Rural West) District Secretary.
This decision came soon after Sengottaiyan asked EPS to take back expelled leaders like O. Panneerselvam (OPS), Sasikala, and TTV Dhinakaran. He gave EPS a 10-day deadline to act.
Sengottaiyan said the party must unite to face the 2026 Assembly elections. He also warned that if unity steps were not taken, some leaders may act on their own.
EPS quickly called a meeting with senior AIADMK leaders in Dindigul. After the meeting, the party announced that Sengottaiyan was removed from all responsibilities.
This shows EPS is not ready to accept any challenge to his leadership.
It may be recalled that Sengottaiyan made a fervent appeal for unity within the AIADMK, stressing that his personal efforts are now directed toward reconciling estranged leaders within a span of 10 days on Friday.
Reflecting on the party’s tumultuous journey since the demise of its towering leaders M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and J. Jayalalithaa, Sengottaiyan underlined the urgency of bringing together warring factions if the party is to regain its electoral strength.
In a candid interaction, Sengottaiyan acknowledged that the AIADMK’s political fortunes had weakened after 2016, with successive setbacks in the 2019 parliamentary elections, the 2021 Assembly polls, and the 2024 local body elections. “The party has survived great storms before. But without unity, it cannot rise again. I have dedicated myself to prevent splits, even when opportunities came twice earlier,” he said.
Sengottaiyan, who began his career as a branch secretary under party founder MGR, shared personal anecdotes of his early association with the matinee idol-turned-leader. He recalled MGR personally praising him for his organizational skills, including his role in arranging a crucial general body meeting when he served as treasurer. He also fondly remembered MGR’s practice of personally reaching out to members who had drifted away from the party—a trait Sengottaiyan believes is vital for today’s AIADMK leadership to emulate.