AIADMK Celebrates 53rd Anniversary Amidst Rising Tensions Among Party Leaders

As the AIADMK celebrates its 53rd anniversary, tensions are reportedly rising between the sons of two prominent leaders within the party.

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami, in a statement marking this milestone since MGR founded the party, expressed his willingness to make sacrifices for victory in the 2026 elections.

However, he did not specify what sacrifices he meant. Reports suggest that after the Lok Sabha elections, key AIADMK figures met with Edappadi at his residence to discuss party unification.

Edappadi reportedly insisted on maintaining a single leadership. Meanwhile, rumours indicate a cold war brewing between the sons of two major leaders. Additionally, there are reports of a leader's relative meeting JP Nadda in Coimbatore.

Political analyst Ravindran Duraisamy has highlighted concerns about 29 AIADMK MLAs losing faith in Edappadi Palaniswami.

He remarked, "It looks like Edappadi is just superficially saying what he should. In the same statement, he used the two words 'internal conflict' and 'we have cleared the weeds'. OPS says he will save the AIADMK alone. DTV Dhinakaran has become a separate party. Sasikala says she will unite the AIADMK under her leadership. No one has asked Edappadi to unite us in the party. Neither they are going to be there."

Ravindran Duraisamy further explained that Edappadi's leadership is under pressure due to internal conflicts within AIADMK. He noted that Edappadi rose from district secretary to party leader and is determined to maintain single leadership, similar to Jayalalithaa's era. However, questions remain about whether he possesses her strength. The mindset of 29 MLAs suggests they doubt returning to power by relying on Edappadi.

The situation for Thangamani and Velumani appears bleak as they seem to have given up hope for future ministerial roles. Ravindran mentioned that if AIADMK had continued its alliance with BJP after the MP election, it might have secured some seats. The party's support in the Kongu region has dropped by 17%, while Annamalai gained 20% of votes.

In Kanyakumari's Lok Sabha election, AIADMK's vote share fell to 4%, with Thalavai Sundaram being removed by Edappadi himself. This decision reflects Edappadi's stance that only loyalists can remain in AIADMK. During Jayalalithaa's time, the vote bank was at 40%, but it scattered when Dhinakaran and OPS split away.

The southern districts saw a decline from 33% to below 20% after OPS's departure, resulting in a significant loss of 13% votes for AIADMK. This cold war could further weaken the party if more key figures leave. In regions like Coimbatore and Kanyakumari, AIADMK is now weaker than BJP.

Edappadi's Influence

In Salem, Vanniyars have supported Edappadi due to his provision of 10.5% internal reservation for them through PMK influence. However, outside this constituency, his impact is limited across Tamil Nadu. If these issues persist, AIADMK may face numerous defeats in upcoming elections.