Former AIADMK minister C. Vijayabaskar, senior leaders join TVK

Former AIADMK Ministers C. Vijayabaskar and MR Vijayabhaskar along with other senior leaders and functionaries from the Dravidian Party join the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) during a function at a private resort in Mamallapuram near Chennai on July 2, 2026 | Photo credit: Special arrangement

The exodus of influential regional leaders from the AIADMK continued on Thursday (July 2, 2026) with former Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, former Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar, several other senior functionaries and thousands of cadres joining Chief Minister C Joseph Vijaya-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in dealing a fresh blow to Dravida

They joined the ruling party at a private resort in Mamallapuram, nearly 60 km south of Chennai, in the presence of TVK General Secretary and Water Resources and Rural Development Minister N. Anand, General Secretary (Election Campaign Management) and Public Works and Sports Development Minister Aadhava Arjuna and other ministers.

Dr. Vijayabaskar, who has been associated with the AIADMK since his college days and served as Health Minister from 2013 to 2021 in the cabinets led by former Chief Ministers J. Jayalalithaa, O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palaniswami, resigned from his Assembly membership on 16 June.

He was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Pudukkottai in 2001 and from Viralimalai in 2011, 2016, 2021 and 2026. Dr. Vijayabaskar was an AIADMK strongman in Pudukkottai district.

His namesake (MR Vijayabhaskar), who hails from Karur, served as the Transport Minister from 2016 to 2021. He was elected to the Assembly from Karur in the 2016 and 2026 elections, both by narrow margins. On 29 June, he resigned his membership of the Assembly.

Both were part of a group of 25 rebel AIADMK MLAs who voted in favor of the Mr. Vijay-led government during the May 13 trust vote in the Assembly, defying the party whip.

Former AIADMK ministers MSM Anandan and S. Valarmathi also joined TVK. Mr. Anandan won the 2011 election from Tiruppur North Assembly segment and served as Forest Minister. He won the Palladam seat in 2021 and lost the 2026 Tiruppur North election to TVK’s V. Sathyabama, who had earlier served as Tiruppur MP (2014-19) on an AIADMK ticket.

Ms Valarmati was elected to the assembly from the Srirangam assembly segment in the 2015 by-election that prompted the conviction (later acquitted) of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case. Ms. Valarmathi also won the same seat in 2016 and served as Backward Classes Welfare Minister.

Former MLAs including EM Manraj (Srivilliputhur), MSR Rajavarman (Tiruchuli), Thirugnanasambandam (Peravurani), Sundararajan (Sankari) and Ramachandran (Sivaganga) and former AIADMK district secretaries also joined the TVK.

On June 6, four former AIADMK ministers – MC Sampath, NR Sivapathi, Kadambur C. Raju and Udumalai K. Radhakrishnan – defected to the ruling party. They followed Maragatham Kumaravel (Maduranthakam), S. Jayakumar (Perundurai), P. Sathyabamu (Dharapuram) and Esakki Subay (Ambasamudram) who won the 2026 elections on an AIADMK ticket, resigned their MLA posts and joined the TVK.

Kanimozhi criticizes the TVK government.

DMK Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi reacted strongly to Mr Vijayabaskar’s induction into the ruling TVK, noting that the ‘washing machine’ allegedly used by the BJP in North India has now reached Tamil Nadu. “Is it true that this new washing machine of Tamil Nadu can even wash away the stain of the gutka scam?” she asked, alluding to Mr. Vijayabaskar’s alleged involvement in the scam.

Published – 02 Jul 2026 12:18 IST