Ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026, the question before AIADMK is whether its factions, off-shoot parties will come together to improve its chance at winning.
Published Nov 03, 2024 | 7:35 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 26, 2024 | 2:48 PM
Leaders of AIADMK factions in Tamil Nadu
Ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026, calls for the reunification of AIADMK factions are increasingly resonating among leaders who broke away from the party.
Tamil Nadu’s political landscape – dominated either by the AIADMK or DMK since 6 March 1967 – is gearing up for the 2026 elections with new players like actor-turned-politician Vijay’s entry into politics.
AIADMK came to power for the first time in 1977, under the leadership of renowned actor-turned-politician MG Ramachandran aka MGR.
Since then, the party has ruled Tamil Nadu for 32 out of the 47 years until 2024. Notably, it emerged as a party to be reckoned with under Jayalalithaa’s leadership, drawing women and people from economically underprivileged communities in particular towards AIADMK.
In the 2016 Assembly elections, which was the last election that Jayalalithaa was alive and contested in, AIADMK won 150 out of 165 contested seats. With 38.4 percent of the vote share, the party got a clear majority.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, AIADMK won 37 of the 39 parliamentary constituencies it contested in, with a vote share of 44.92 percent. In the state Assembly elections in 2016, Jayalalithaa-led party returned to power by winning 134 of the 227 seats the party contested in.
Its allies contested in seven of the total 234 constituencies in the state. Vote share of AIADMK and its alliance parties put together was a whopping 41.30 percent.
However, things started changing drastically for AIADMK since September, 2016 which was when the then CM Jayalalithaa was hospitalised. As she was undergoing treatment, due to rising criticism about who should take decisions in her absence, O. Panneerselvam (OPS) – then finance minister – stepped in to take the responsibilities of CM .
After her demise on 5 December 2016, OPS was sworn in for a brief period as the CM. It was after her death that AIADMK started facing huge turmoil due to internal political struggle that led to the birth of several fractions.
While VK Sasikala rose to be the interim General Secretary, OPS had to resign as the chief minister. Subsequently, Panneerselvam parted ways with some legislators in the name of ‘Dharmayutham’.
Meanwhile, Sasikala gathered the remaining legislators and requested the Governor to invite her to form the government.
But the Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Sasikala in an asset embezzlement case, making it Edappadi Palaniswamy’s turn to be the CM. Meanwhile, TTV Dhinakaran – Sasika’s relative – also sought to assert his influence over the party.
TTV Dhinakaran, who was a member of Lok Sabha between 1999-2004 and Rajya Sabha between 2004-2010, was appointed AIADMK’s Deputy General Secretary by Sasikala in 2017, just before she was convicted.
This factional dispute culminated in a series of legal battles and political manoeuvring that fragmented the party over the years.
In the aftermath of the disputes, the party started to witness one defeat after another. EPS-led AIADMK faced defeat in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, winning only the Theni Lok Sabha seat with an overall vote share of 19.39 percent.
The party lost further ground during 2021 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, winning only 66 constituencies with a vote share of 33.29 percent. Meanwhile, TTV Dhinakaran’s faction, AMMK got a meagre vote share of 2.4 percent despite contesting in 165 seats.
In 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the AIADMK faced a catastrophic electoral outcome, securing only 20.46 percent of polled votes without winning any seat.
Following Jayalalithaa’s death, the RK Nagar constituency in Chennai witnessed a by-election in 2017. Contested by AIADMK (Amma faction) among others, it was marred by controversy. The Election Commission of India eventually cancelled the by-elections due to allegations of voters being bribed.
Meanwhile, both Sasikala and OPS’ factions competed for the party’s iconic two-leaf symbol, resulting in ECI prohibiting the use of AIADMK’s name and symbol.
However, merger between OPS and EPS’s factions in the same year resulted in a legal victory against Sasikala’s faction, allowing them to reclaim the rights to the symbol and party name.
In the RK Nagar bypoll, TTV Dhinakaran contested as an independent candidate and won with 89,063 votes. Subsequently, on 15 March, 2018, he founded Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK).
In a significant turn of events, as tensions between EPS and OPS escalated, the latter was expelled from AIADMK in the general meeting that followed the 2021 Assembly elections.
The Madras High Court subsequently dismissed all petitions related to the AIADMK General Committee meeting, which resulted in OPS’s removal and ruled that the committee’s decisions could not be contested.
Despite the ruling, OPS continued to assert his position as the coordinator of AIADMK, claiming the right to use the party’s symbol and flag.
In September 2023, EPS filed a lawsuit against OPS in Madras HC. As Paneerselvam kept requesting multiple extensions, the court ordered a ban on OPS using AIADMK name, symbol, and flag, solidifying EPS’s claim over the party.
In this context, Sasikala recently reignited discussions about reunification, expressing optimism that a united AIADMK could return to power in Tamil Nadu after 2026 Assembly elections.
“If Amma’s rule comes in 2026, women will be safe. Wait for the AIADMK to unite,” she stated during a media interaction in Madurai on 30 October.
Echoing these sentiments on the very same day while speaking at Ramanathapuram, OPS noted that grassroots members believe reunification is essential for electoral success. He stated, “The current situation is that the party can win only if it unites. It has been proved that the volunteers and the public are on our side.”
Contrastingly, EPS has dismissed the notion of reintegrating those expelled from the party. “It is the media that says that those who have been expelled from AIADMK are defectors. They have been removed from all positions including basic membership due to their actions against the party. Do not use the word departed anymore,” he said.
Political analysts suggest that the historical significance of figures like MGR and Jayalalithaa remains influential in the party’s appeal, but the current leadership struggles hinder the restoration of its former glory.
Ravindran Duraisamy told South First, “After 2017, there has been repeated calls for AIADMK fractions to reunite. But, EPS will not agree to include those expelled.”
He elaborated, “MGR and Jayalalithaa are akin to the double-leaf symbol of the AIADMK; they hold a significant place in the hearts of people. Jayalalithaa transformed the AIADMK, founded by MGR, into a formidable movement. The party’s vote bank has struggled to recover since her passing, as Sasikala, OPS, TTV and EPS hold influence in their respective areas.”
Amid ongoing debate on AIADMK factions reuniting, factions led by Sasikala, OPS and Dhinakaran are each vying for relevance in Tamil Nadu’s complex political tapestry as assembly election 2026 approaches.
The situation has continued to deteriorate for the AIADMK. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, while AIADMK failed to secure any seat, now expelled OPS and TTV Dhinakaran contested the elections as part of the BJP alliance.
Dhinakaran’s AMMK managed a mere 0.9 percent votes in the two constituencies it contested from. OPS – contesting as an independent in Ramanathapuram – achieved 30.89 percent, leaving the AIADMK trailing with only 8.99 percent.
Talking about merging factions to South First, former minister Jayakumar stated, “In AIADMK, it is the General Secretary who is responsible for decisions regarding mergers with other factions. Sasikala and OPS have effectively put an end to any notion of AIADMK reunification. Such a thing will not occur at any time in the future.”
Describing OPS as an “opportunist” who will not be embraced by AIADMK supporters, he asserted, “The party is on the upswing, and with this momentum, we will form government in Tamil Nadu in 2026.”
But, O. Panneerselvam’s supporter, Kolathur Krishnamoorthy, expressed optimism about the AIADMK’s revival. He told South First, “AIADMK will flourish again as it did under MGR and Jayalalithaa. The time for AIADMK factions including Sasikala and TTV too to unite is not far. Only then AIADMK can secure a promising future.”
Commenting on the ongoing rift, former minister and AMMK deputy general secretary Senthamizhan remarked, “Some individuals in the AIADMK appear to believe they are indispensable. Since EPS took charge, the party has consistently faced electoral defeats. The great ADMK movement, established by MGR, has weakened due to a lack of effective leadership. Our leader (AMMK founder) has made it clear that he has no intention of rejoining the AIADMK.”
Venmathi, a Sasikala supporter, emphasised, “Only Sasikala can lead AIADMK with strength in the wake of Jayalalithaa’s demise. AIADMK can only regain its footing if all those who have been marginalised come together to confront the 2026 elections as a unified front.”
Political analyst Duraisamy told South First, “Since 2017, calls for AIADMK unity have grown louder. However, with the party’s name and symbol firmly under the control of EPS, he is likely to resist any attempts to reintegrate those expelled from the AIADMK.”
As the party grapples with internal divisions and attempts to regain its once formidable voter base, the future of the AIADMK remains uncertain.
(Edited by Neena)
