Maragatham Kumaravel; S. Jayakumar; P. Sathyabama
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Three MLAs who were part of the S.P. Velumani faction of the AIADMK met Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar at the Secretariat in Chennai on Monday (May 25, 2026) and submitted their resignation letters. The Speaker later announced that their resignations have been accepted.
Maragatham Kumaravel, the MLA for Madurantakam constituency (Chengalpattu district), S. Jayakumar, the MLA for Perundurai constituency (Erode district), and P. Sathyabama, the MLA for Dharapuram constituency (Tiruppur district), met Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar in the afternoon and handed over their resignation letters.
Soon after, they met Public Works Department Minister Aadhav Arjuna at the Secretariat and joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
With this, the AIADMK’s strength in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has dropped to 44.
Resignation in ground floor, TVK membership in first floor: Edappadi Palaniswami
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami condemned what he termed as “vulgar politics” and “horse trading” introduced in Tamil Nadu by the ruling TVK. Any attempt to defeat and replace the AIADMK would remain a dream, he said.
A cinema celebrity, who claimed to bring about purity in politics, has resorted to “underhand dealings” to save his government, which is a matter of “shame”, Mr. Palaniswami said without naming anyone. The people of Tamil Nadu are amused at the efforts of the “minority government” to stay in power, he added.
The act of the resignation of three MLAs in the ground floor of the Secretariat-cum-Assembly complex and within a few minutes receiving party membership from a TVK Minister in the first floor, only exposed that it was a pre-meditated drama and attempts of “horse trading.”
“The underhanded dealings of the TVK government is a new approach in Tamil Nadu politics. The AIADMK has been a great movement serving the people bearing several acts of betrayal and back-stabbing. Be it the MLAs who support the government or those have resigned now, they should not forget that they contested against the symbol of the cinema celebrity,” Mr. Palaniswami pointed out.
The AIADMK leader further said any act of betrayal hoping to defeat or replace the party would only remain a dream. Mr. Palaniswami went on to add that the people of Tamil Nadu would teach a befitting lesson to those who attempt to piggyback on others.
Expulsion
Mr. Palaniswami removed party functionary Thaiyur S. Kumaravel from all positions including the party’s primary membership. The general secretary said the actions of Mr. Kumaravel were not in line with the party’s discipline and further brought disrepute to the party.
AMMK’s criticism
Meanwhile, AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran referred to the charges of “horse trading” he made earlier and contended that his charges were turning out to be true.
Published – May 25, 2026 04:51 pm IST
