The internal conflict within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) escalated on Wednesday after a faction of MLAs supported the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) during a crucial floor test in the Tamil Nadu assembly. The trust vote, which actor-turned-politician Vijay won comfortably, saw AIADMK MLA CV Shanmugam openly rebel against party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS).
Rebel Leader's Accusations
Speaking after the vote, Shanmugam stated: "There is a demand within the party, even before the election, that all those who left or were expelled should be readmitted to strengthen the party and win elections. But EPS has no such idea." Responding to Palaniswami's remarks, Shanmugam denied betraying the AIADMK and instead accused the party general secretary of abandoning its core principle of opposing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
"I have not betrayed. Our party’s basic principle is to wipe out the DMK. For the past 50 years, we have been fighting against the DMK. But as the general secretary of the AIADMK, after being defeated in the election, he went low to become chief minister and forgot the basic principles of AIADMK," Shanmugam said amid the escalating internal feud.
Invoking Jayalalithaa's Legacy
Invoking the legacy of late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, Shanmugam added that the party had not forgotten the political persecution she faced under cases backed by the DMK. "Amma’s death was caused due to DMK’s false case; she was imprisoned and we lost her. But he forgot everything. You can say who the betrayer is," he said.
Rebellion and Floor Test
Days after the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly election results, a section of AIADMK MLAs led by senior figures including CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani openly rebelled against Palaniswami’s leadership. They alleged that he had explored the possibility of aligning with the DMK to prevent Vijay from taking office. The rebellion coincided with Vijay’s crucial floor test in the Tamil Nadu assembly on Wednesday. The TVK-led government, which had fallen short of a majority after winning 108 seats in the 234-member House, secured outside support from Congress, Left parties, IUML, and the rebelling AIADMK faction. It eventually won the trust vote with 144 MLAs backing the government.
Leadership Battle Looms
With rebel MLAs openly backing the TVK government and questioning EPS’s authority, the AIADMK’s post-poll crisis appears to be turning into a full-scale leadership battle. The party now faces a critical juncture as internal dissent threatens its unity ahead of future elections.
