Two Former AIADMK Ministers to Join TVK Along with 15,000 Supporters

July 2, 2026

Chennai: Former AIADMK Ministers Dr C. Vijayabaskar and M.R. Vijayabhaskar are set to join the ruling Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) on Thursday, accompanied by nearly 15,000 supporters and party functionaries. The induction is expected to be one of the largest political entries into TVK since the party came to power.

Senior Leaders to Welcome New Entrants

The induction ceremony will take place at a private hotel in Mamallapuram near Chennai. Senior TVK ministers N. Anand and Adhav Arjuna are scheduled to formally welcome the former AIADMK leaders and their supporters into the party.

Several prominent former AIADMK leaders, including ex-ministers S. Valarmathi and M.S.M. Anandan, along with former MLAs and district-level functionaries, are also expected to join TVK.

Thousands of Supporters Arrive for Event

According to organisers, around 15,000 supporters and party workers from across Tamil Nadu have travelled to the venue in nearly 200 buses and more than 600 cars, underlining the scale of the political realignment.

Why the Leaders Quit AIADMK

In a joint statement, Dr C. Vijayabaskar and M.R. Vijayabhaskar said they had remained loyal to the AIADMK throughout their political careers but decided to resign after differences with the party leadership.

The former ministers claimed they had urged AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami to explore an electoral alliance with TVK ahead of the Assembly elections, but their proposal was ignored. They alleged that the AIADMK leadership was pursuing a different political strategy and described any understanding with the DMK as being against the ideals of party founder M.G. Ramachandran.

The leaders said they were joining TVK with the belief that it offers a new political direction and an opportunity to continue serving the people of Tamil Nadu.