J C D Prabhakar, a prominent senior leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) with deep roots tracing back to the M G Ramachandran era, formally joined actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Friday, marking a notable shift in Tamil Nadu's political landscape as the 2026 Assembly elections approach.

Prabhakar met Vijay at his residence in Pattinapakkam, where he officially enrolled in the party, bringing his extensive experience as a two-time Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Villivakkam constituency, having secured victories in the 1980 and 2011 elections during periods of significant political turbulence and realignments within the AIADMK.

This induction follows Prabhakar's departure from the O Panneerselvam-led AIADMK faction several months ago, prompted by the alliance's underwhelming performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where Panneerselvam ran as an independent candidate with National Democratic Alliance support, leading Prabhakar and a group of supporters to form the AIADMK Coordination Committee with the objective of bridging divides among the party's splintered groups.

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Prabhakar's transition to TVK represents the second major recruitment from the MGR era, succeeding senior leader K S Sengottaiyan's earlier move, which highlights Vijay's increasing magnetism for seasoned AIADMK figures disillusioned with internal factionalism and drawn to the fresh momentum of the relatively new outfit.

The addition of Prabhakar lends substantial political heft to TVK, positioning it as a viable contender capable of attracting veteran talent and consolidating support from traditional AIADMK strongholds, thereby intensifying competition in Tamil Nadu's dynamic electoral arena as alliances and defections reshape strategies for the forthcoming state polls.

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