AIADMK Faces Fresh Revolt, Stares At Third Major Split Since Inception After Tamil Nadu Poll Debacle

Last Updated:May 12, 2026, 10:06 IST

The AIADMK is facing a deep internal crisis after its performance in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with rival factions backing different leaders and questioning EPS.

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam appears to be heading towards what could become the third major split in its history, with internal divisions surfacing openly after the party’s performance in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Multiple reports indicate that a deepening leadership crisis has emerged within the party, with rival factions rallying behind different leaders and questioning the continuation of party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS).

The latest turmoil comes at a politically sensitive time for the AIADMK, which contested 167 of the 234 Assembly constituencies but secured only 47 seats in the 2026 polls.

The election ultimately saw C Joseph Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerge victorious and form the government with support from Congress, Left parties, VCK and IUML after falling short of the majority mark on their own.

RIFT OUT IN THE OPEN DURING ASSEMBLY SESSION

The internal conflict became visible during the first session of the 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly when AIADMK legislators reportedly arrived in separate groups and sought to project different leaders as the party’s floor leader.

According to news agency PTI, one faction led by former minister C Ve Shanmugam submitted a letter urging Pro-tem Speaker MV Karuppaiah to recognise former minister SP Velumani as the AIADMK legislature party leader.

Another faction backed Palaniswami for the post.

The split was also reflected in the seating arrangements inside the Assembly during the oath-taking ceremony.

MLAs aligned with EPS and another faction associated with CV Shanmugam sat separately, underlining the growing divisions within the party.

“You have waited so far. Please wait for some more time. Everything will be clear," Shanmugam later told reporters, while refusing to address speculation over rebellion against the current leadership directly.

Sources cited in PTI reports said the faction backing Velumani allegedly had support from around 30 MLAs, while the camp supporting Palaniswami consisted of about 17 legislators.

DEBATE OVER SUPPORT FOR TVK DEEPENS DIVIDE

One of the biggest triggers for the infighting appears to be differences over whether the AIADMK should have extended support to Vijay’s TVK government after the election results.

According to AIADMK sources quoted by PTI, one section of the party strongly opposed supporting the TVK, while another faction favoured extending outside support to the Vijay-led formation.

Reports also stated that several senior leaders, including Shanmugam and SP Velumani, skipped meetings chaired by Palaniswami after the electoral defeat, further intensifying speculation about an organised revolt within the party.

Former AIADMK leader KC Palanisamy claimed there was “a clear split within the party" and argued that “many MLAs want a change in leadership."

He further warned that if Palaniswami continued as leader, “there is a possibility of some MLAs extending support to the TVK."

KC Palanisamy also said EPS should “voluntarily step down" so that the party could reunite and prepare for future elections.

AIADMK’S HISTORY OF SPLITS

The present crisis has revived memories of earlier fractures within the AIADMK, which has historically faced succession battles after the decline or death of dominant leaders.

The party has witnessed two major splits since its formation in 1972 by MG Ramachandran (MGR) after breaking away from the DMK.

The first major split came after MGR’s death in 1987, when the party divided between the faction led by his wife, VN Janaki and another led by J Jayalalithaa.

The divisions severely hurt the party in the 1989 elections before the factions later reunited under Jayalalithaa’s leadership.

The second major split followed Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016, triggering a power struggle involving O Panneerselvam (OPS), VK Sasikala and EPS.

Eventually, OPS and EPS merged forces in 2017 to isolate Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran.

However, the dual leadership arrangement later collapsed, with EPS emerging as the dominant leader and OPS being expelled in 2022.

2026 POLL DEFEAT ADDS TO PRESSURE

The 2026 Assembly election defeat has compounded the pressure on the AIADMK leadership.

The current turmoil also follows a series of setbacks for the party, including defeats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, the 2024 parliamentary elections and the Erode bypoll in 2025.

Meanwhile, political analyst Sathyalaya Ramakrishnan urged party leaders to resolve differences through dialogue, saying the senior leadership should ensure that “there is no split in the party."

Despite those appeals, the visible factionalism, the demand for leadership change, and the debate over relations with the ruling TVK government have all fuelled speculation that the AIADMK may once again be heading towards a historic organisational rupture, potentially its third major split since inception.

News india AIADMK Faces Fresh Revolt, Stares At Third Major Split Since Inception After Tamil Nadu Poll Debacle

Read More