Tension flared in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district after a scuffle broke out between AIADMK workers and police outside the party’s district office, which had been locked as tensions within the party are on a rise. The clash erupted when supporters of newly appointed district secretary Pasupathi arrived at the office and attempted to enter the premises. However, members belonging to the faction loyal to senior AIADMK leader CV Shanmugam opposed the move and blocked entry, leading to heated arguments and pushing between the two groups.
As tensions rose, police stepped in and locked the office gates to prevent the situation from spiralling further. Security personnel denied entry to both factions and tried to disperse the crowd.
Open clash inside AIADMK
The latest confrontation highlights the growing divide inside the AIADMK between supporters of former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and leaders aligned with other senior party figures.
Pasupathi’s supporters demanded access to the office and sought police protection, while rival workers reportedly parked vehicles outside the building to block entry.
A similar scene was witnessed in Cuddalore, where another AIADMK office was locked by the rival faction. Supporters of the EPS camp later allegedly broke open the lock using a hammer and entered the premises, further escalating the internal conflict.
Rift widening across districts
The internal tension within the party has intensified in recent days following leadership changes and disciplinary action against several leaders. Earlier this week, a similar dispute broke out in Karur after supporters of one faction forcibly entered the local party office after breaking its lock.
The conflict reportedly deepened after several MLAs backed the TVK party during an Assembly vote, leading to reshuffles in party posts and the appointment of new district secretaries by the EPS leadership.
The repeated clashes across districts have exposed the widening factional divide within the AIADMK ahead of key political developments in the state.
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