Chennai, June 6 (IANS) In a fresh setback to the AIADMK, which has been grappling with internal dissent and a string of defections since its disappointing performance in the Assembly elections, four former ministers and senior leaders joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) at the party’s headquarters in Chennai on Saturday.

Former ministers and ex-MLAs Udumalai K. Radhakrishnan, M.C. Sampath, Kadambur C. Raju and N.R. Sivapathi formally joined TVK in the presence of the party’s General Secretary N. Anand and General Secretary for Election Campaign Management Aadhav Arjuna.

Their induction marks one of the most significant defections from the AIADMK since the formation of the Vijay-led government.

The latest development comes amid continuing turmoil within the principal opposition party following its poor showing in the April 23 Assembly elections.

The AIADMK has struggled to contain internal divisions, with several leaders and cadres expressing dissatisfaction over the party’s direction after the electoral setback.

The crisis first became evident when a group of 25 AIADMK MLAs defied the party whip and supported Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay during a confidence motion in the Assembly.

The rebellion triggered intense political speculation and exposed deep cracks within the party ranks. Although the rebel faction later reconciled with AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the party has continued to witness an exodus of leaders and workers.

Four rebel legislators had earlier resigned from the AIADMK and joined TVK, setting the stage for further defections. Since then, several district-level office-bearers, former legislators and grassroots functionaries have crossed over to the ruling party.

The four leaders who joined TVK on Saturday had all suffered defeats in the recent elections. Udumalai Radhakrishnan lost the Udumalpet seat, while M.C. Sampath finished third in Cuddalore. Kadambur Raju was defeated in Kovilpatti, reflecting the broader electoral struggles faced by the AIADMK across the state.

The defections follow a similar development on May 29, when more than 300 AIADMK members joined TVK at its Panaiyur headquarters. That group included former ministers Vellamandi Natarajan and Anandan, along with former MLAs Natraj and Sadhan Prabhakar.

Political observers view the continued migration of AIADMK leaders to TVK as a sign of the ruling party’s growing influence and a major challenge for the opposition as it seeks to rebuild after its electoral defeat.

Among the earliest high-profile leaders to switch sides was former AIADMK veteran K.A. Sengottaiyan, who aligned himself with Vijay well before the elections and later became a key figure in the TVK government.

–IANS

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