Why Sengottaiyan quit AIADMK and joined TVK, and what is BJP's game plan?

KA Sengottaiyan, a former minister who spent nearly half a century in the AIADMK and earned a reputation for never once speaking against his party leadership, joined actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Thursday (November 27) in presence of actor-turned politician Vijay.

Sengottaiyan, who joined the MGR Fan Club at the age of 20 and remained loyal to the AIADMK until he was 77, was expelled from the party’s primary membership and other posts last month on charges of “acting against the party leadership”.

Wave of enthusiasm in TVK

His entry into the TVK has created a wave of enthusiasm in Vijay’s camp.

“Annan (Brother) KA Sengottaiyan brings with him 50 years of political experience. His arrival has greatly strengthened us. From now on, our work in the western region (Kongu belt) will intensify even further,” said TVK general secretary Arunraj.

Yet, the AIADMK does not appear particularly worried.

Also Read: Expelled AIADMK leader Sengottaiyan, 'MGR loyalist', joins actor Vijay’s TVK

Addressing reporters in Madurai, Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) said, “He (Sengottaiyan) is no longer in the AIADMK and there's no need to comment,” and moved on. Most senior AIADMK leaders dodged to answer questions on Sengottaiyan joining Vijay's TVK.

AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said, “The movement, its ideology, and the Two-Leaves symbol are bigger than any individual. Whatever recognition and life he got, he got through the party. Self-interest destroys everything. Sengottaiyan was never the leader of the entire Kongu region; he was only the face of Gobichettipalayam constituency. His departure will not cause any setback to the party.”

Why the switch to TVK?

The bigger question everyone is asking is: Sengottaiyan, who said he would work only to reunite the AIADMK, suddenly switched to the TVK?

Speaking to reporters after the joining ceremony, Sengottaiyan himself gave the answer, “The AIADMK has already split into three pieces. I tried my best to bring it back together, but I failed. Today the AIADMK is not strong enough to oppose the DMK – it only exists in name. That is why I am joining TVK.”

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

He went further and said, “Today there is no difference between the DMK and the AIADMK. Both are travelling together and staging a drama for the country. We need a new alternative. On the surface they act as opponents, but nothing of that sort is happening on the ground.”

It is learnt that two DMK ministers personally met Sengottaiyan and held talks to bring him into the DMK. There were even plans to make him join Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin’s birthday celebrations (which is today), but Sengottaiyan reportedly told them, “I have done politics for 50 years only by opposing the DMK. I have no desire to join the DMK.”

BJP’s silence

The real mystery is: why is the BJP leadership completely silent?

Sengottaiyan initially emerged as a rebel voice within the AIADMK after claiming that the BJP wanted a united AIADMK. On September 8, he went to New Delhi and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss AIADMK reunification. At that time, the BJP had apparently assured cooperation. Yet on Thursday, when he joined the TVK, the BJP has neither tried to stop him nor issued even a single statement.

Also Read: Sengottaiyan resigns as MLA to avoid defection law, eyes TVK

Senior journalist Mani says, “Both O Panneerselvam and Sengottaiyan stepped out of the AIADMK trusting the BJP, and the BJP has now abandoned both of them. It looks like the BJP has also dropped TTV Dhinakaran, who was earlier in the NDA. Realising that anyone who trusts the BJP is finished, Sengottaiyan has suddenly changed track and joined TVK.”

Change of strategy by BJP?

A suspicion is now growing among political observers: Is the BJP deliberately weakening the AIADMK and using it as a new strategy? Because the earlier BJP stand that the AIADMK must be strengthened seems to have undergone a complete change.

Mani adds, “OPS trusted the ''sweet words'' of the BJP leadership, gave up the Chief Minister’s post, and is now standing clueless. Sensing the same fate awaited him, Sengottaiyan changed his decision.”

In April this year, when Amit Shah visited Chennai, he met Edappadi Palaniswami and announced that the EPS-led AIADMK would lead the alliance in Tamil Nadu, but also declared that the BJP would not interfere in AIADMK’s internal matters. EPS had said he alone would decide which parties would be in the NDA and whom to include.

Also Read: AIADMK expels 14 supporters of Sengottaiyan from party

OPS and TTV walked out of the alliance, saying they could not accept EPS as the CM face. Yet till date, the BJP has made no serious effort to bring them back into the NDA. Seven months have passed since Amit Shah and EPS boasted of building a strong alliance under their leadership, but not a single new party has joined the Tamil Nadu NDA so far.

‘We do not interfere in internal party affairs’

BJP state president Nainar Nagendran told The Federal that the BJP leadership neither directly nor indirectly controls any party functionaries.

"If KA Sengottaiyan has BJP inclination, how can he join Vijay's party? How would we allow that? He was in the AIADMK, how can we take responsibility for his actions? We do not interfere in their internal party affairs."

When asked, BJP senior leader Pon Radhakrishnan had to say, “Sengottaiyan himself should worry about leaving AIADMK. Many AIADMK leaders have spoken to him. The BJP’s only stand is that the DMK must be defeated in Tamil Nadu. Everyone who shares that single thought must come together.”

Also Read: Sengottaiyan's expulsion triggers fresh internal feud in AIADMK

On the charge that the BJP is weakening AIADMK, Radhakrishnan said, “The BJP is not responsible for this. All opposition parties in Tamil Nadu are terrified of the BJP. If they realise why they are scared and remove that fear, it will be good for them.”

Senior BJP sources, speaking off the record, revealed, “Since Edappadi Palaniswami is the alliance leader, the BJP does not have much room to act in building the alliance. Moreover, we do not see the 2026 assembly election as a make-or-break election for us. Therefore, we believe AIADMK’s own actions are what matter the most.”