AIADMK Faction Supports Vijay’s TVK After Differences With EPS
AIADMK dissidents backed Vijay’s TVK after differences with EPS leadership emerged.
A faction within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has extended support to the newly formed government led by C Joseph Vijay, deepening signs of internal divisions within the party. Senior AIADMK leader C V Shanmugham said on Tuesday that a majority of MLAs aligned with his faction had decided to back Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government.
Shanmugham’s remarks come amid reports of growing differences within the AIADMK over whether the party should support Vijay after the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The dispute is believed to centre around party chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami, popularly known as EPS, with conflicting claims emerging regarding the support of AIADMK legislators.
According to Shanmugham, his faction commands the backing of the majority of the party’s 47 MLAs elected in the recently concluded Assembly polls. He claimed that while EPS currently has the support of around 20 to 22 legislators, most AIADMK MLAs had chosen to align with Vijay’s government. “We accept the people’s mandate,” Shanmugham said, adding that the mandate was specifically in favour of Vijay becoming chief minister.
Also Read: DMK Demands AIADMK Leave BJP Before Historic Alliance Against Vijay
The development comes just two days after Vijay took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu following his party’s strong electoral performance. The actor-turned-politician is now preparing to face a floor test in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, where he will need to prove his majority through a vote of confidence.
Political observers believe the AIADMK’s internal rift could significantly alter opposition dynamics in the state. The party, once a dominant force in Tamil Nadu politics, has been grappling with leadership struggles and factional tensions since the passing of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa. The latest split over support for Vijay may further weaken the party’s organisational unity.
Vijay’s emergence as chief minister marks a major transition in Tamil Nadu politics, with his newly launched TVK rapidly gaining political ground. The floor test is expected to be closely watched as it will determine the stability of the new government and the extent of support Vijay has secured from allies and breakaway factions within rival parties.
Also Read: TVK’s Strategy: Vijay to Choose Between AIADMK and Congress in Tamil Nadu
