AIADMK split: Velumani faction willing to hold talks with Palaniswami; rebel Veeramani backs EPS

AIADMK rebel leader S.P. Velumani, on Friday (May 15, 2026), expressed his faction’s willingness to hold discussions with party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on intra-party issues.

In a post on his social media handle, Mr. Velumani reiterated his group’s position about the need for analysing the reasons for the AIADMK’s defeat in the recent Assembly election. Referring to Mr. Palaniswami’s statement that he was ready to make any sacrifice, Mr. Velumani said that instead of driving out the people of the party, the general secretary should invite his faction for discussion, at least once.

Blaming Mr. Palaniswami for acting “arbitrarily” in stitching an alliance for the Assembly poll without “consulting” others, Mr. Velumani felt that the general secretary should have reached out to all his colleagues, at least after the defeat.

K.C. Veeramani switches sides

Meanwhile, AIADMK’s former district secretary for Tirupattur, K.C. Veeramani, on Friday (May 15, 2026), told reporters that his support was for Mr. Palaniswami.

Mr. Veeramani, who was elected from Jolarpet, was with the faction led by rebel leaders S.P. Velumani and C.Ve. Shanmugam until Thursday (May 14) and he was among the legislators removed by Mr. Palaniswami from their party positions. 

S. Pasupathi, the party’s deputy secretary for the medical wing, was appointed the Tirupattur district secretary on Wednesday.