Four Former AIADMK Ministers Shift Allegiance to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam

In a significant political shift in Tamil Nadu, four former ministers of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) have decided to part ways with the party and join the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which is currently in power. The announcement was made on Saturday, signaling a noteworthy development in the state’s political landscape.

The former ministers—MC Sampath, NR Sivapathi, Kadambur C Raju, and Udumalai K Radhakrishnan—have chosen to realign themselves with the ruling party at a ceremony held at the TVK headquarters located in Panaiyur on the outskirts of Chennai. This move comes on the heels of the AIADMK’s performance in the recent Assembly elections held in May, where three of the four ministers, excluding Sivapathi, faced electoral defeat.

During the May elections, Sampath contested from the Cuddalore constituency, Raju from Kovilpatti in the Thoothukudi district, and Radhakrishnan from Udumalpet in the Tiruppur district. Their transition to the TVK, led by Chief Minister Vijay, reflects a broader trend of realignments within Tamil Nadu’s political arena, especially given the changing dynamics following the elections.

In addition to the former AIADMK ministers, former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLA J Karunanidhi has also joined the TVK, further consolidating its ranks. The TVK came into power with the backing of several parties, including the Congress, the Communist Party of India, and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, alongside the Indian Union Muslim League. This coalition has bolstered the TVK’s position in the state, which saw the DMK secure 59 seats compared to AIADMK’s 47 in the Assembly.

The political maneuvering did not end with individual party changes; during a recent floor test, 25 AIADMK MLAs, led by former ministers CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani, voted in favor of the new government. This unexpected support illustrated the shifting loyalties within the parties and the potential for further changes in the political landscape as players navigate the aftermath of the elections.

Source: scroll.in