A faction of 30 plus AIADMK MLAs led by Mailam Assembly Constituency MLA C.Ve.Shanmugam and Thondamuthur Assembly Constituency MLA SP Velumani based on Assembly Speaker Pro-tem MV. Karuppaiah’s office after sending a letter as the new leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party on May 11, 2026. | Photo credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
All is not well in the all-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam after the recent Tamil Nadu elections, with newly elected legislators sharply divided over their choice of legislative party leader. While one group supports party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, a larger group is throwing its weight behind former minister SP Velumani.
On Monday, after the swearing-in of all legislators was over, a letter, purportedly signed by a group of AIADMK legislators, was presented to interim Speaker MV Karuppaiah in his chamber that Mr. Palaniswami had been elected leader of the legislature party. According to media reports, the general secretary got the support of 17 out of 47 MLAs belonging to the AIADMK, though a member of the Palaniswami camp claimed it was 24. Former Handlooms Minister OS Manian, who handed over the letter to the pro-tem spokesperson, told The Hindu that he was not aware of the contents of the letter. “I did what I was asked to do,” he remarked.
Around 6 p.m., however, the former Minister of Law C.Ve. Shanmugam, accompanied by Mr. Velumani and many other former ministers, including Natham R. Viswanathan and R. Kamaraj, came to the Pro-tem Speaker’s office and submitted a letter seeking the support of 30 MLAs for Mr. Velumani’s leadership.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Palaniswami denied reports that the party was headed for a split.
The turmoil in the AIADMK was also evident in the assembly as it went through the reception given by party legislators to Mr. Palaniswami and Mr. Velumani. Unlike on previous occasions in the last five years when Mr. Palaniswami was accompanied by a large contingent of his colleagues on entering the Assembly premises, only a handful of MLAs accompanied him this time. Mr. Velumani, who served as local administration minister in the Palaniswami cabinet and was always seen with him in the past, later came to the assembly premises along with former health minister C. Vijayabaskar.
Likewise, when it was the turn of the former Chief Minister and Mr. Velumani to be sworn in as MLAs, the reception from their colleagues in the form of banging tables was similar. The message was clear: Mr. Palaniswami’s leadership challenge was wide open.
In the last four days, Mr. Shanmugam’s residence on Karpagam Avenue near Foreshore Estate has become a hub of activity in the AIADMK, with a large number of MLAs and other officials attending discussions on their future course of action. Mr Shanmugam, who did not attend the swearing-in in the morning, went to the assembly around 3.15pm and was sworn in as an MLA. The rebel MLAs also met at a guest house near Mr Shanmugam’s house.
About two years ago, when the party suffered a setback in the Lok Sabha elections, a delegation of six leaders, including Mr. Shanmugam, Mr. Velumani and Mr. Viswanathan, tried to impress upon Mr. Palaniswami that there should be a reconciliation with former party leaders like VK Sasikala.
Former AIADMK Chief Minister and General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami and his MLA-elect arrive at the Chennai Secretariat to take oath as MLAs on May 11, 2026 | Photo credit: R. Ragu
Rival group of AIADMK MLA-elects led by SP Velumani and C. Vijayabaskar arrive at Chennai Secretariat to take oath as MLAs 11 May 2026 | Photo credit: R. Ragu
Published – 11 May 2026 19:21 IST
