Former AIADMK organisational secretary, Anwar Raja, joined the DMK merely an hour after the AIADMK expelled him from the party.
Published Jul 21, 2025 | 11:40 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 21, 2025 | 11:57 AM
Anwar Raja joined the ruling DMK in the presence of party President and Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Synopsis: Former AIADMK organisational secretary Anwar Raja joined the ruling DMK merely an hour after the AIADMK expelled him from the party. Recently, Raja had been making critical remarks regarding the AIADMK-BJP alliance in Tamil Nadu.
Creating ripples in the Tamil Nadu political landscape, former AIADMK organisational secretary Anwar Raja joined the ruling DMK on Monday, 21 July, in the presence of party President and Chief Minister MK Stalin. He joined the DMK merely an hour after the AIADMK expelled him from the party.
Recently, Raja had been making critical remarks regarding the AIADMK-BJP alliance in Tamil Nadu. Just days ago, in an interview with a Tamil daily, Raja had openly expressed his disapproval of the AIADMK alliance with the BJP. When asked whether the alliance would help AIADMK gain minority votes, he bluntly said, “In most cases, it won’t.”
When reporters asked about the BJP’s attempts to establish a foothold in Dravidian soil, Raja responded, “The BJP’s intention might be to gain ground in Tamil Nadu. But in my personal opinion, that will never happen.”
These comments, by a key functionary of the AIADMK, had already sparked debates across Tamil Nadu’s political circles.
Raja’s visit to DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam in Chennai, on Monday morning had sparked speculation that he would join the ruling party.
In response, the AIADMK swiftly announced Raja’s expulsion from the party. Shortly afterwards, he formally joined the DMK in the presence of Stalin.
Raja said Stalin is a leader “with no parallel.” Speaking to reporters after his induction, Raja said the DMK will win the 2026 elections with at least 15 percent more vote share and that Stalin would become chief minister again.
“People vote for a party based on the trust they place in its leader. Stalin has earned that trust. There is no stable leadership in the AIADMK now, and it’s unclear if one will emerge,” he said.
Raja also took sharp aim at the AIADMK-BJP alliance, claiming that the AIADMK has drifted from its ideological foundations by aligning with the BJP. “The AIADMK has lost its way. It allied with the BJP, which never even named Edappadi Palaniswami as its chief ministerial candidate, not even once in all of Amit Shah’s statements. The BJP’s goal is to weaken regional parties, not strengthen them,” he alleged.
He further added that despite expressing his dissatisfaction many times within the AIADMK, no one paid attention. “After repeatedly expressing my concerns and receiving no response, my only alternative was the DMK. That’s why I joined,” he said.
Raja thanked Stalin for welcoming him into the party, and said he joined the DMK because of their shared ideological vision.
With the Assembly elections just 10 months away, several party leaders across the political spectrum are actively inducting functionaries and district-level leaders from rival parties. In this context, the defection of a senior AIADMK leader to the DMK has caused considerable political stir.
The move is particularly significant given the ongoing debate over whether the AIADMK-BJP alliance has alienated minority voters. The fact that a minority leader from AIADMK has now joined the DMK may be seen as a setback for AIADMK’s minority outreach.
Anwar Raja is a prominent political figure from the Ramanathapuram district. A long-time AIADMK loyalist, he has been associated with the party since its founding by MG Ramachandran (MGR). He remained a key figure even during the leadership of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.
His first electoral contest was in 1986. He contested the local body elections during which AIADMK suffered major setbacks across Tamil Nadu. However, Raja tasted victory and became the Mandapam Panchayat Union Chairman.
Later, recognising his loyalty, MGR inducted him into the AIADMK Executive Committee. Between 2001 and 2006, he served as the minister for labour welfare in the Jayalalithaa-led cabinet. In 2014, he was elected as an MP from the Ramanathapuram constituency.
Raja has a history of switching sides during internal party splits, often aligning with breakaway factions before returning to the main fold.
After MGR’s death, he joined the Janaki faction and contested the 1989 Assembly election, but lost. He later extended his support to Jayalalithaa. Similarly, after Jayalalithaa’s demise, he initially backed VK Sasikala’s leadership, only to later shift his allegiance to Edappadi K Palaniswami when Sasikala’s influence waned.
On 1 November 2021, Raja was expelled from the AIADMK for continuously criticising the BJP-AIADMK alliance and allegedly acting against the party’s interests. The decision was made jointly by the then coordinators O Panneerselvam and Edappadi Palaniswami.
In 2023, he was reinstated in the party. However, once again, for the same reasons — his sharp criticism of the alliance — he has been expelled. This time, however, there seems to be no return.
Raja has firmly crossed over, joining the DMK under the leadership of Stalin.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
