AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami addresses the media along with party MLAs after the vote of confidence at the State Assembly Secretariat in Chennai on May 13, 2026. | Photo credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday dismissed 26 rebel district secretaries.
The district secretaries who were dismissed included Natham R. Viswanathan, SP Velumani, C.Ve. Shanmugam, R. Kamaraj and C. Vijayabaskar. Of the deposed officials, 12 are currently party legislators. The remaining eight are R. Kamaraj, KP Anbalagan, KC Veeramani, Esakki Subaya, MR Vijayabhaskar, P. Balakrishna Reddy, A. Arumozhithevan and SM Sukumar.
Mr. Palaniswami appointed 14 new district secretaries and restructured some other district units to have nine new officers. Among those given party post are former Dindigul Minister C.Sreenivasan (for Dindigul-East district unit), Neyveli legislator R. Rajendran (Cuddalore-South), former MP C. Sivasami (Tiruppur-Suburb) and former MLA VPB Paramasivam (Dindigul-West).
Later in the day, Mr Shanmugam questioned Mr Palaniswami’s authority to carry out the recall of district secretaries.
Published – 13 May 2026 21:34 IST
