Big Boost For Vijay: 4 E AIADMK Ministers, 6 Former MLAs Join TVK
Big Boost For Vijay: 4 E AIADMK Ministers, 6 MLAs Join TVK Published By, Last Updated: June 07, 2026, 07:49 IST Amid deepening crisis, AIADMK
Big Boost For Vijay: 4 E AIADMK Ministers, 6 MLAs Join TVK Published By, Last Updated: June 07, 2026, 07:49 IST Amid deepening crisis, AIADMK suffers fresh blow as four former ministers, ex MLAs and over 300 cadres quit and join ruling TVK in Chennai, praising CM C Joseph Vijay AIADMK leaders Udumalai K Radhakrishnan, M C Sampath, Kadambur C Raju and N R Sivapathi joined TVK. In a fresh blow to the crisis-hit AIADMK, four former ministers and e MLAs on Saturday joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), intensifying the exodus from the opposition party and signalling a further erosion of its organisational strength. The high-profile inductions took place at the TVK headquarters in Panaiyur near Chennai, where Udumalai K Radhakrishnan, M C Sampath, Kadambur C Raju and N R Sivapathi formally entered the ruling party. They joined in the presence of TVK General Secretary N Anand and General Secretary for election campaign management Aadhav Arjuna. In total, over 300 AIADMK members crossed over to TVK at the event, many of them citing their inability to serve the public effectively under the current AIADMK leadership. Among the prominent figures who joined were former AIADMK Minister Vellamandi Natarajan, Anna Trade Union Federation State Secretary Kamalakkannan, former Mylapore MLA Natraj, former Minister Anandan, former Paramakudi MLA Sadhan Prabhakar, Tirupathur City Secretary D T Kumar, along with hundreds of other functionaries.
The induction ceremony was attended by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam General Secretary and Rural Development Minister N Anand, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sengottaiyan, and Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna, underscoring the political significance of the defections. ‘AIADMK Functionaries Had Maintained Strict Discipline During Jayalalithaa’s Regime’ After formally joining TVK, senior leader and former minister Udumalai Radhakrishnan invoked the legacy of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, recalling that AIADMK functionaries had maintained strict discipline under her leadership. He described her demise as a major setback from which the party had struggled to recover. Radhakrishnan said that although he and others had stayed with the AIADMK for the past five years, they were unable to properly serve the public and had been functioning under difficult circumstances. He added that they now see the ideals of M G Ramachandran (MGR) and Jayalalithaa reflected in the leadership of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, and that the respect and recognition they received within TVK had prompted their decision to switch sides. Addressing the gathering, Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna drew a direct comparison between Chief Minister Vijay’s cabinet and those of former Chief Ministers MGR and Jayalalithaa, asserting that TVK was carrying forward their political legacy.
“We had already said that C Joseph Vijay would become Chief Minister, following in the footsteps of leaders honestly created by the people, such as Anna, MGR, and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma. Today, he is the Chief Minister. AIADMK members mocked Sengottaiyan for sitting with leaders from smaller parties. But he served as a minister in MGR’s cabinet, Kumar served in Amma’s cabinet, and now both are ministers in the leader Joseph Vijay’s cabinet as well," he said. Chennai | Tamil Nadu Minister Aadhav Arjuna says, “There is no difference between AIADMK and TVK in terms of our commitment to people. Unlike other parties, TVK is free from internal rivalries and jealousy, and functionaries work together with mutual respect and affection…… pic.twitter.com/KyTSHGqhB ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2026 The developments come in the wake of the AIADMK’s poor performance in the April 23 polls, after which the party has been grappling with internal dissent and defections. Shortly after the electoral setback, a rebel group of 25 AIADMK MLAs defied the party whip and backed a motion of confidence moved by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in the Assembly. Four of those rebel MLAs later resigned and joined TVK before the group reconciled with AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.
News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Devanshe Pandey Senior Sub-Editor Devanshe Pandey is a journalist with over six years of experience decoding the fast-moving worlds of politics and global affairs. Currently on the political and international desk at CNN-News18, she b... Read More First Published: June 07, 2026, 07:46 IST News india Big Boost For Vijay: 4 E AIADMK Ministers, 6 MLAs Join TVK Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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