Sengottaiyan resigns as MLA to avoid defection law, eyes TVK

In a calculated move to avoid the stringent anti-defection law, veteran AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan tendered his resignation as MLA on Wednesday (November 26).

He was elected from the Gobichettipalayam Assembly seat in Erode district on an AIADMK ticket in the 2021 elections. He tendered his resignation hours before his expected formal induction into actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on November 27.

Adding curiosity to the day's events, he was reportedly intercepted by DMK minister A Sekar Babu before heading to the Assembly Speaker's chamber to tender his resignation.

Meeting with minister

Sengottaiyan and Babu held a brief private huddle lasting only a few minutes amid speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the ruling party, is trying to lure the veteran into its fold.

Also Read: BJP repeats TN script; Sengottaiyan meets OPS’s fate in intra-AIADMK row

Remaining stone-faced while stepping out of the Secretariat, Sengottaiyan declined to comment when journalists sought his response.

When reporters repeatedly asked him a direct question, “Are you joining TVK?”, he neither confirmed nor denied the claims.

When asked if his silence on this matter could be interpreted as a “yes”, he offered no comments and simply walked past the reporters.

Trusted confidant of Jayalalithaa

Sengottaiyan (77) had been a part of AIADMK since the party's inception under MG Ramachandran (MGR) in 1977. He was elected as an MLA from Sathyamangalam in the very first election the party participated in.

Sengottaiyan quickly rose through the ranks and became a trusted confidant of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

Also Read: Why Sengottaiyan's exit could make or break larger AIADMK flock

As a former minister holding portfolios in School Education, Information Technology, and Agriculture, he was renowned for his knowledge in those areas and for conducting district-level processions and rallies that mobilised massive crowds across the state, meticulously managing every detail from route planning to crowd control.

Pre-emptive step

Political circles suggest that the resignation was a deliberate pre-emptive step to avoid automatic disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

It mandates loss of membership for any legislator who voluntarily gives up the party on whose symbol he or she was elected; by quitting the House first, Sengottaiyan has effectively neutralised the threat of disqualification and cleared the legal path without facing proceedings before the Speaker. There is a speculation that he will join TVK.

Expulsion from the AIADMK

His expulsion from the AIADMK, in late October 2025, orchestrated by party General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), stemmed from Sengottaiyan's continued association with ousted leaders, including O Panneerselvam (OPS), TTV Dhinakaran, and VK Sasikala.

Also Read: Sengottaiyan removed from AIADMK posts after calling for uniting expelled leaders

The trigger was a high-profile meeting at Pasumpon during Muthuramalinga Thevar's guru puja on October 30, where these leaders discussed the reunification of AIADMK factions—a plea that fell on deaf ears in the party’s top brass.

"After decades of service to this movement, from MGR's era to Amma's, I was rewarded with expulsion. You can understand my pain," Sengottaiyan told reporters cryptically on November 25, declining to confirm or deny the TVK switch.

Will Sengottaiyan join TVK?

For Vijay's TVK, which is still reeling from the tragic Karur stampede in September that claimed 41 lives and exposed gaps in event management, Sengottaiyan's defection is a coup. The party, which positions itself as a fresh alternative to the DMK and an ideological foe to the BJP, has been aggressively scouting for seasoned operators to bolster its structure.

Sengottaiyan is believed to be in line to helm TVK's 28-member core committee, which would be tasked with crisis response and strategic decisions.

Also Read: Sengottaiyan issues ultimatum to EPS; does it spell turmoil for AIADMK before TN polls?

"Vijay needs leaders who know how to run a machine," a TVK functionary said. “Sengottaiyan's playbook from Jayalalithaa's campaign—flawless logistics and voter turnout strategies—will be invaluable for us in the Kongu belt,” he added.

Multi-party contest in western Tamil Nadu

Indeed, Sengottaiyan's deep roots in western Tamil Nadu could supercharge TVK's outreach. As a nine-time MLA from the region, he commands loyalty in Erode and beyond, where AIADMK has historically dominated.

Observers speculate this could erode EPS's grip on the western stronghold, forcing the AIADMK to recalibrate its rural strategy. "It's not just a defection; it's a blueprint theft," quipped political observer Ravidaran. Vijay gets instant credibility in districts where star power alone won't cut it.

Also Read: TVK chief Vijay resumes poll campaign, targets ruling DMK for 'loot, dynasty politics'

The timing couldn't be more poignant. The veteran’s exit is a major setback, hitting hard at a time when EPS is starting his statewide campaign from Sengottaiyan’s hometown, Gobichettipalayam, on November 30.

For OPS and TTV, already adrift after quitting the NDA over BJP's reluctance to back their AIADMK reinstatement, this is a double whammy. Sources hint OPS is "actively exploring" a TVK alliance, seeing Vijay's firm anti-BJP line as a lifeline.