‘No More Divisions Among Us’: AIADMK Signals Unity Push After 4 MLAs Join Vijay’s TVK

Last Updated:May 27, 2026, 10:29 IST

With the resignations, the AIADMK’s strength in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly has fallen to 43.

The defections follow the AIADMK’s poor performance in the 2026 Assembly elections, where the party won only 47 seats.

AIADMK Crisis: Amid growing turmoil within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADM) following the resignation of four MLAs who joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the party on Wednesday hinted at a possible reunion of its warring factions and called for unity.

In a post on X, the AIADMK’s IT wing declared that “there will be no divisions among us” and asserted that no one could weaken the party, often referred to by supporters as the “EF fort.”

Invoking late former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and her vision for the AIADMK, the party said, “From now on, there will be no divisions among us… No one can now find a way to destroy this EF fort. Our goal is one alone… that is only to have our twin leaf flag fly once again on the fort.”

The latest X post speculate that rival factions within the AIADMK could reunite to prevent further erosion of support after a series of defections weakened the party’s position in the Assembly.

The latest setback came after Ambasamudram MLA Esakki Subaya resigned from the party and joined Chief Minister Joseph Vijay-led TVK. He became the fourth AIADMK legislator to switch camps in two days.

Earlier, AIADMK MLAs K Maragatham, D Jayakumar and V Sathyabama resigned from the Assembly and joined the ruling party, dealing a major blow to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.

With the resignations, the AIADMK’s strength in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly has fallen to 43. By-elections to the vacant seats are expected within six months.

The defections are being seen as a major setback for AIADMK general secretary and former Choef Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami after the party’s disappointing performance in the 2026 Assembly elections.

The AIADMK only managed to secure 47 seats out of Tamil Nadu’s 234, while Vijay’s TVK rocked the political landscape by emerging as the single largest force with 108 seats. However, the party fell 10 seats short of the majority mark, triggering intense post-poll negotiations and alliance-building efforts.

The results weakened EPS’s claim as the undisputed face of the anti-DMK space in Tamil Nadu politics and led to an unprecedented rebellion inside the party, with C Ve Shanmugam accusing the AIADMK supremo of allying with arch-rival DMK to form the government.

At least 25 MLAs broke ranks, ignored the party whip and voted in favour of the TVK government, pushing Vijay’s tally to 144 lawmakers. The rebellion has since triggered disciplinary proceedings within the AIADMK, including action under the anti-defection law.

Several senior leaders have criticised EPS’s “dictatorial” functioning and accused him of taking unilateral decisions on alliances and candidate selection. The rebel faction said that EPS must be removed to restore the party as per the vision of MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa.

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