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Ex-AIADMK veteran Sengottaiyan expected to join Vijay’s TVK soon
EPS on October 31 sacked former minister Sengottaiyan, a day after he met the expelled trio O Panneerselvam(OPS), TTV Dhinakaran and his aunt VK Sasikala and pushed for all factions of the AIADMK to unite
Veteran Tamil Nadu leader and former minister KA Sengottaiyan who was recently expelled from the AIADMK by Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) is in talks with actor Vijay’s fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Those close to Sengottaiyan say that he is likely to join TVK on November 27 ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.
EPS on October 31 sacked former minister Sengottaiyan, a day after he met the expelled trio O Panneerselvam(OPS), TTV Dhinakaran and his aunt VK Sasikala and pushed for all factions of the AIADMK to unite.
77-year-old Sengottaiyan, is a nine-term legislator and has been with the AIADMK since its founding days by MG Ramachandran (MGR) from 1972 succeeded by J Jayalalithaa.
His move is being seen as a shot in the arm for Vijay since TVK doesn’t have seasoned politicians. The lack of political experience was evident when 41 people died at Vijay’s rally in a stampede in Karur district on the night of September 27. There was no TVK leader on the ground and Vijay had returned to Chennai immediately in the aftermath and released a video message three days later, and privately met the grieving families a month later in a hotel.
“The talks between them are in an advanced stage and Sengottaiyan will most likely join on November 27,” said a leader close to the former AIADMK leader. Vijay has positioned TVK as the main opposition to the ruling DMK and the ideological opponent of the BJP, while not speaking much of Tamil Nadu’s principal opposition, the AIADMK. The BJP-AIADMK alliance has been trying to rope Vijay into the NDA fold.
Sengottaiyan, hails from the dominant Gounder community, in the western region of Tamil Nadu. “Sengottaiyan’s supporters in the AIADMK from Gobichettipalayam (in Erode district) who resigned when he was removed from all party posts are also likely to join with him,” said a member of TVK.
On October 30, on the 118th birthday anniversary of caste leader Muthuramalinga Thevar when political leaders including chief minister MK Stalin and EPS went to pay tribute in Pasumpon village in Ramanathapuram district, Sengottaiyan went in a car with OPS. In Pasumpon they first met Dhinkaran and later Sasikala.
While sacking Sengottaiyan the day after, EPS said that he had gone against the party’s policies and principles by meeting the three leaders who he had expelled. By expelling Sengottaiyan, EPS was also sending a message to the BJP, which has been pushing for AIADMK to bring back sacked leaders to be stronger to fight against the ruling DMK. EPS has been steadfast against accommodating the leaders he expelled, worried that it would create another power centre in the AIADMK and affect his political future.
In September, after Sengottaiyan had called for the expelled leaders to be brought back and met Union home minister Amit Shah seeking to merger all factions of the AIADMK, EPS had removed him from all party positions. But he had continued to be a member of the AIADMK.
Sengottaiyan evaded questions on joining TVK but instead said everyone knows how he was punished. “I’ve worked in the party for 50 years through its ups and downs. And I’m nobody in the party now. You must know my pain,” Sengottaiyan said.
