The opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) suffered another political setback on Saturday as four of its former ministers and ex-MLAs joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) at the party's headquarters in Chennai. The development comes amid ongoing internal challenges within the AIADMK following its disappointing performance in the recent Assembly elections.

The leaders who switched allegiance include K Radhakrishnan, MC Sampath, C Raju and NR Sivapathi. They formally joined TVK in the presence of party General Secretary Anand and election campaign management General Secretary Aadhav Arjuna.

The defections add to a series of challenges faced by the AIADMK since its electoral setback on April 23. In the aftermath of the results, a group of 25 AIADMK MLAs supported a confidence motion moved by Chief Minister Joseph Vijay in the Assembly, defying the party's directive to oppose the measure. The move exposed divisions within the party and triggered concerns about its organisational unity.

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Although some of the rebel legislators later reconciled with AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, the party has continued to witness an exodus of functionaries and local leaders to TVK. Political observers view the latest defections as evidence of TVK's growing influence in Tamil Nadu politics and its efforts to attract leaders from rival parties.

Among the defectors, Radhakrishnan had contested from the Udumalpet constituency but was unsuccessful. Sampath finished third in the Cuddalore constituency, while Raju was defeated in Kovilpatti. Their electoral setbacks had fuelled speculation about their future within the AIADMK, which has been attempting to regroup after its disappointing election performance.

The latest departures are likely to intensify pressure on the AIADMK leadership as it seeks to rebuild its organisation and restore confidence among party workers. For TVK, meanwhile, the induction of several former ministers represents another step in strengthening its political base ahead of future electoral contests in the state.

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