K A Sengottaiyan (right) was part of AIADMK since its founding days.
Credit:X
Chennai: K A Sengottaiyan, one of the senior-most leaders having been associated with the AIADMK since its founding by M G Ramachandran in 1972, was on Friday expelled from the party, a day after he met rebel leaders T T V Dhinakaran and O Panneerselvam and called for unification of the party.
By sacking Sengottaiyan for demanding that the rebels like V K Sasikala, TTV, and OPS be taken back into AIADMK, Edappadi K Palaniswami has sent a stern message not just to the trio but also the BJP, which has been subtly pushing for accommodating the rebels.
Palaniswami, during his meeting with Shah in September, categorically told him that he won’t encourage any suggestions for a compromise with the trio and suggested the BJP should not interfere in the internal affairs of the AIADMK.
The former chief minister believes accommodating the trio, especially Sasikala and Dhinakaran, would not just create another power centre in the party but will also be detrimental to his political future in the event of a loss in 2026 polls.
Palaniswami, who got himself elected as the general secretary in 2022 after sacking OPS and his supporters, had in September removed Sengottaiyan from all party posts after he asked the AIADMK to launch talks with the trio within 10 days.
As Sengottaiyan met Dhinakaran and OPS in Pasumpon on Thursday and reiterated his demand, Palaniswami issued a statement on Friday expelling Sengottaiyan from the party’s primary membership for engaging in activities contrary to the party’s principles and discipline.
“Sengottaiyan had acted in a manner detrimental to the unity, integrity, and discipline of the AIADMK, and had repeatedly violated the directives of the party leadership. Despite being fully aware that party members should have no truck with those who were expelled, he engaged with such elements, tarnishing the party’s reputation and integrity,” he said.
Palaniswami, who owes his initial rise in the party to Sengottaiyan who was then a strongman in Salem and Erode districts, said AIADMK has always stood firm on the principles laid down by MGR and Jayalalithaa and any
one, regardless of position or seniority, who acts in violation of these principles will face strict disciplinary action.
“No one is above the party and its ideology. AIADMK members should have no contact with Sengottaiyan,” Palaniswami added.
Sengottaiyan is the first senior leader to push for the reentry of the three leaders, all belonging to the dominant Mukulathors spread across central and southern parts of Tamil Nadu, within the AIADMK.
In September, he had said he along with five senior leaders – Natham R Viswanathan, P Thangamani, S P Velumani, C Ve Shanmugam, and K P Anbalagan – met Palaniswami after the 2024 poll debacle and requested him to bring back expelled leaders. However, the demand was rejected by EPS.