Political Rift and Reconciliation Within AIADMK Leads to Ongoing Disqualification Battle

A bitter power struggle inside AIADMK has resurfaced in the Tamil Nadu Assembly as the Speaker, J.C.D. Prabhakar, prepares to hear disqualification petitions against four ex‑MLAs. The dispute originated after the state elections when the party split into factions led by General Secretary F. Palaniswamy and former minister S.P. Velumani.

Each faction sent separate letters to the Speaker, each claiming to represent the legitimate AIADMK legislative group. The tension escalated during the confidence vote that secured the TVK government’s stability; Velumani’s bloc of 25 legislators supported the ruling coalition, leading Palaniswamy to invoke the anti‑defection clause and seek their removal.

Four legislators from Velumani’s camp resigned from the assembly and joined a different political party. Palaniswamy’s side demanded that the resignations be rejected and that the anti‑defection provisions be applied.

Subsequently, a brief political truce saw both leaders reconcile, prompting AIADMK to withdraw disqualification motions against 21 members while retaining complaints against the four who had already quit. The Madras High Court stepped in, ordering the Speaker to deliver a decision within two months.

The scheduled hearings, running from November 12 to 14, will allow representation from both the former legislators and Palaniswamy’s legal team. A final hearing on November 17 will conclude the process, after which the Speaker is expected to announce his ruling. Notably, Marghatham Kumaravel and Satabhama later won by‑elections and now serve as TVK legislators, underscoring the fluid nature of Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.