Dhinakaran-led AMMK returns to NDA fold, Palaniswami welcomes leader

Chennai: Ahead of the keenly anticipated Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, the TTV Dhinakaran-led AMMK on Wednesday returned to the NDA in Tamil Nadu, months after walking out of the AIADMK-led bloc blaming 'betrayal.' In apparent signs of thaw after years of bickering stemming out of internal feud in the AIADMK in the past, party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami welcomed Dhinakaran back in to the National Democratic Alliance. The AMMK founder reciprocated with a "heartfelt thanks," yet admitting there was "sibling rivalry" with AIADMK, the party he was once associated with.

Dhinakaran, founder-leader of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK)met senior BJP leader and Union Minister Piyush Goyal and was formally re-inducted into the NDA.

Welcoming Dhinakaran, Goyal said the NDA would work together and defeat the DMK alliance in Tamil Nadu.

Briefing reporters, the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry said, "I am honoured and delighted, personally very happy that my good friend and senior leader and my brother Dhinakaran ji has decided to come back to the NDA family. He was serving with my father in the Rajya Sabha during 2004-2007, and since then I have seen his good work, his popularity, his leadership skills." With the joining of AMMK, Goyal who is the BJP's in-charge for assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, said, "My elder brother and leader of AIADMK Edappadi K Palaniswami, my brother and good friend Anbumani Ramadoss (PMK), other colleagues in the NDA G K Vasan (Tamil Maanila Congress), all of us are committed to removing this corrupt DMK government." The Anbumani-led faction of PMK on January 7 joined the NDA in poll-bound Tamil Nadu.

Palaniswami who was not present with Goyal during AMMK's return to NDA, welcomed Dhinakaran in to the bloc.

The AIADMK general secretary said Dhinakaran has joined the NDA to "uproot the evil force DMK's tyrannical rule, put an end to its dynastic politics and once again ensure the golden rule of Amma ( J Jayalalithaa)." "With the welfare of the people as our objective, let us all unite together to save the people and retrieve Tamil Nadu from the DMK's family rule," Palaniswami added.

Former TN BJP Chief K Annamalai welcomed AMMK joining the NDA and said it brings "immense joy" to him.

"I convey my thanks to the General Secretary of AMMK, my brother TTV Dhinakaran. The profound political experience and astute strategies of Dhinakaran will play a key role in removing the anti-people DMK regime in the upcoming assembly elections", he said.

Talking to reporters on his decision to join the NDA, Dhinakaran said what he had with the AIADMK was a "sibling rivalry".

"Those who have compromised do not lose. What exists between us (with AIADMK) is just a sibling rivalry. We will stand united as one front to help bring people's rule to Tamil Nadu", he said.

Responding to a question, Dhinakaran shot back at scribes asking who has been declared as the NDA's Chief Ministerial candidate, to which they said it was Palaniswami.

He then asked the reporters why they were then persisting with the issue with him.

On Palaniswami's comment welcoming him into the NDA, Dhinakaran said he extends his heartfelt gratitude to the former CM for wholeheartedly welcoming and congratulating AMMK, which has joined the NDA with the welfare of people at its core.

"We will all unite and engage in grassroots efforts to re-establish Tamil Nadu on behalf of the NDA. We will achieve a historic victory that will shower new light upon Tamil Nadu, which has been plunged into darkness for the past four and half years, and upon the people of Tamil Nadu." Dhinakaran said.

Dhinakaran had quit the NDA in September 2025, blaming "betrayal," without naming anyone.

The former MP and his aunt VK Sasikala, a confidante of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, were expelled from the AIADMK in 2017 when Palaniswami was its co-coordinator and O Pannerselvam the coordinator. Incidentally, Panneerselvam was also expelled from the party by its general council in 2022.

Dhinakaran later floated the AMMK and was also a part of the BJP-led NDA during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.