Chennai, May 11:
Internal turmoil within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam continued unabated on Sunday, threatening to weaken the grip of general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami following the party’s poor performance in the recent Assembly elections.
A rebel faction led by senior leader C. Ve. Shanmugam held a crucial meeting at his MRC Nagar residence, attended by over 35 MLAs and around 50 district secretaries. The discussions focused on the party’s future course, including the possibility of extending support to the government led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.
However, with no clear signals from the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, the rebels are yet to take a final decision.
The crisis has its roots in the AIADMK’s disappointing electoral showing, where it secured just 47 seats, with the NDA alliance tallying 52—down from 75 seats in 2021. The setback has triggered dissent against Palaniswami, whose leadership had remained largely unchallenged until now.
In a parallel development, Palaniswami convened a separate sitting at his Greenways Road residence, but it saw limited participation, with several key leaders, including Shanmugam and S. P. Velumani, staying away. Sources said his efforts to pacify the dissenters yielded little progress.
The rebel camp has reportedly placed key demands, including appointing Velumani as Legislature Party Leader and Shanmugam as Deputy Leader, along with the formation of a high-level committee to oversee party affairs.
While Palaniswami is said to have agreed to these conditions, uncertainty looms over his continuance as party chief, with further consultations expected in the coming days.