Veteran AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan has been expelled from the party after over five decades of service, triggering an emotional outburst where he admitted being “pained, in tears, and sleepless” over the abrupt decision. The former minister and senior legislator was ousted for suggesting the readmission of expelled heavyweights like O Panneerselvam, VK Sasikala, and TTV Dhinakaran—figures once central to the party’s power structure under late icon Jayalalithaa. Sengottaiyan insisted his proposal was not an ultimatum but a call for internal dialogue to revive the AIADMK and fulfill the legacies of MGR and Jayalalithaa.

The core grievance, Sengottaiyan revealed, was the party’s failure to issue a formal notice or allow him a chance to respond before the expulsion. “After half a century of loyalty, I deserved at least a hearing,” he lamented, emphasizing that his outreach to expelled leaders was aimed at unity, not division. He recalled sacrificing personal ambitions—twice declining opportunities to lead the party—to prevent splits, including endorsing Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) as chief minister after Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016 to block Sasikala’s bid.

In a sharp counterattack, Sengottaiyan rejected EPS’s accusation of him being the DMK’s “B-team,” retorting: “The country knows who the real B-team is—I am no one’s puppet, but EPS is the A-team.” His remarks signal a deepening rift within the AIADMK, with Sengottaiyan positioning himself as a defender of the party’s original ethos against what he sees as EPS’s authoritarian control.

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The AIADMK justified the expulsion by alleging Sengottaiyan maintained unauthorized contact with previously sacked members, breached discipline, and damaged the party’s reputation. EPS has directed all cadres to cut ties with him completely. The move follows Sengottaiyan’s earlier demotion in September from key organizational roles in Erode, indicating a calculated purge of dissenters ahead of the 2026 assembly polls.

As Tamil Nadu’s political landscape heats up, Sengottaiyan’s exit—coupled with his veiled threats of retaliation—could trigger further defections or alliances with OPS, Sasikala, or even the BJP, potentially reshaping opposition dynamics against the ruling DMK. For now, the AIADMK veteran remains a symbol of loyalty betrayed, vowing to fight for the party’s soul.

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