In a big blow to AIADMK, over 300 members from the party, including former ministers, officially joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Saturday at the party headquarters in Panaiyur near Chennai, citing inability to serve the public properly under AIADMK leadership. Some of the former AIADMK Ministers joined the TVK in the presence of Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister N. Anand. TVK MLA P Venkataramanan says, "It was an honourable program. We are very excited and happy..."
These former ministers joined TVK in Chennai
Among those who joined the ruling party were former AIADMK Minister Vellamandi Natarajan, Anna Trade Union Federation State Secretary Kamalakkannan, former AIADMK MLA from Mylapore Natraj, former AIADMK Minister Anandan, former Paramakudi AIADMK MLA Sadhan Prabhakar, Tirupathur City Secretary D T Kumar, and over 300 others.
The induction took place in the presence of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam General Secretary and Tamil Nadu Rural Development Minister N Anand, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sengottaiyan, and Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna.
Here's what they said about joining TVK
Former Minister and senior AIADMK leader Udumalai Radhakrishnan said that, along with him, senior leaders, including Trichy N R Sivapathi, Kadambur Raju, M C Sampath, Panneerselvam, Govindasamy, and Kolathur Krishnamoorthy, have joined the ruling TVK.
Recalling the leadership of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, he said AIADMK functionaries maintained strict discipline during her tenure and that her demise was a major setback for the party. Radhakrishnan also stated that although they had remained in AIADMK for the past five years, they were unable to effectively serve the public and had been functioning under difficult circumstances.
He said they see the ideals of M G Ramachandran (MGR) and Jayalalithaa reflected in the leadership of Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, adding that the respect and recognition they received in TVK motivated their decision to join the party.He further said they would work wholeheartedly for TVK and support the younger generation of leaders, with a focus on securing victory in the upcoming local body elections.
Emphasising their commitment to party discipline, Radhakrishnan said they would faithfully carry out any responsibility assigned by the leadership. He also claimed that many district-level functionaries and senior AIADMK leaders are expected to join TVK in the future, describing their decision to leave AIADMK as a moment of relief after a prolonged period of dissatisfaction within the party.
Speaking at the event, Minister Sengottaiyan reflected on the movement of TVK and said that the people of Tamil Nadu voted for a change, trusting the leadership of Chief Minister Vijay.
"If there is any movement in Indian history that achieved success within just two years of its formation, it is Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. No matter how many alliances are formed, no one born on Tamil soil can defeat our movement in Tamil Nadu. The people have accepted a leadership capable of delivering a clean administration, and only he can achieve it. Not just tomorrow, but forever, Vijay will remain the permanent Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. I have travelled with the Revolutionary Leader MGR, and I have also worked alongside the Revolutionary Leader Amma. Those who lacked faith have won, while those who trusted others have faced defeat," he said.
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