His shift is seen as a result of the recent statement by Palaniswami during his visit to Delhi, where he said there was no possibility of Panneerselvam or his supporters being taken back into the AIADMK.
Published Jan 21, 2026 | 11:02 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 21, 2026 | 11:02 AM
R Vaithilingam joined the DMK in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Synopsis: Former Tamil Nadu minister R Vaithilingam resigned from the state Assembly and joined the DMK in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin. Other OPS supporters, including Kunnam Ramachandran and Vellamandi Natarajan, are also expected to join the party.
Former Tamil Nadu minister R Vaithilingam, representing the Orathanadu Assembly constituency, resigned from the state Assembly and joined the DMK on Wednesday, 21 January, in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin, creating a stir in political circles.
A supporter of former chief minister O Panneerselvam (OPS), Vaithilingam was expelled from the AIADMK.
There are also reports from the DMK office that, following him, other OPS supporters, including Kunnam Ramachandran and Vellamandi Natarajan, are also expected to join the party.
The developments have led to a situation of complete depletion of the OPS camp. Earlier, former AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan had officially joined the actor-turned-politician Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
Vaithilingam hails from the Orathanadu Assembly constituency in the Thanjavur district. During his time in the AIADMK, he was regarded as a key leader in the delta region and held considerable influence there. He also served for a long period as the AIADMK district secretary of Thanjavur and as the MLA from Orathanadu.
From 2001 to 2016, he was elected as the MLA from Orathanadu. He was made a Rajya Sabha MP in 2016, after his defeat in the same constituency. Later, he resigned from that post and contested the Orathanadu constituency again in 2021, winning the election.
Between 2001 and 2016, he held ministerial responsibilities in the Tamil Nadu government, handling portfolios such as Industries, Forests and Environment, Housing and Rural Housing, and Urban Development.
Vaithilingam was considered a trusted delta-region leader of Jayalalithaa. When the issue of single leadership arose within the AIADMK, between Pannerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami, he stood firmly with the former and was subsequently expelled from the party.
From the beginning, he was seen as a loyal supporter and close associate of Panneerselvam. However, his move to join the DMK is now being viewed as a major setback for OPS.
His shift is seen as a result of the recent statement by Palaniswami during his visit to Delhi, where he said there was no possibility of Panneerselvam or his supporters being taken back into the AIADMK.
With Panneerselvam also lacking significant support within the BJP-led NDA, this statement appears to have reinforced the view within his camp that remaining in that group would only destroy their political future. It is believed that this assessment led Vaithilingam to accept the DMK’s invitation and join the party.
Political circles are rife with speculations that Vaithilingam is not joining the DMK alone. He is reportedly planning to bring his supporters, including Vellamandi Natarajan and Kunnam Ramachandran, into the DMK fold to secure important positions within the party.
After the split in the AIADMK, the DMK has already gained additional strength in the Delta and southern districts. Vaithilingam’s entry is now seen as giving the party further momentum.
Currently, out of the eight Assembly constituencies in the Thanjavur district, seven are under the DMK’s control. Several of these were once strongholds of the AIADMK. Orathanadu was the only constituency with the AIADMK.
With Vaithilingam’s defection to the DMK, the chances of that constituency also coming under the DMK’s fold in the next election are high.
Similarly, the DMK has long struggled with the absence of a prominent and widely recognised leader in the Delta region. With Vaithilingam joining the party, there is a strong possibility that he could emerge as the party’s face in that region.
As the 2026 Assembly elections draw closer at a rapid pace, this move by the DMK is being viewed as giving the party additional strength, while dealing a setback to the AIADMK.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
