Expelled Leader Sengottaiyan Alleges Family Dominance in AIADMK Leadership

Expelled AIADMK leader and Gobichettipalayam MLA K.A. Sengottaiyan on Friday revealed that the BJP had approached him to discuss uniting the two factions of the AIADMK. He emphasized that the BJP had not used him to divide the party and that his interactions were intended solely to strengthen the AIADMK internally. Sengottaiyan said he made it clear to BJP functionaries that there is no alternative to the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, and that any cooperation should focus on helping the party return to power while maintaining its independence and core values.

Sengottaiyan also criticized the party’s current leadership, saying internal succession politics has allowed the general secretary’s relatives, including his son, to dominate key decisions. He alleged that senior members who dedicated decades to building the party are being sidelined and forced to bow before people who have little understanding of the AIADMK’s history and ideology. “Those who sacrificed for the party are now forced to defer to people who know nothing about it,” he said, highlighting the growing dissatisfaction among veteran cadres.

He further argued that a united AIADMK would naturally attract allies, without having to chase external partnerships. Pointing to the refusal of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to join the alliance, Sengottaiyan suggested that factionalism and internal disputes were weakening the party’s negotiating power and public image. He maintained that his efforts were always aimed at unifying the party and reinforcing its grassroots strength, rather than creating division or chaos.

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Sengottaiyan also questioned the leadership’s selective approach to accountability, noting that while Edappadi K. Palaniswami often calls for CBI probes into minor cases, serious incidents like the Kodanad estate murder-heist case remain uninvestigated. He hinted that this shows a “B team” working against the party’s founding principles, undermining the legacy of leaders like M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa. His remarks underscored concerns about governance, fairness, and the prioritization of power over principles within the party.

Meanwhile, EPS continued purging Sengottaiyan’s supporters, expelling 14 members, including former MP V. Sathyabhama, from the party’s primary membership. Sengottaiyan warned that continued expulsions could weaken the AIADMK further, alienating loyal cadres and diluting the party’s grassroots strength. He urged the leadership to reconsider its approach, stressing that unity, respect for senior members, and adherence to party ideals are crucial for the AIADMK to reclaim its political dominance in Tamil Nadu.

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