R B Udhayakumar warns TVK's Aadhav Arjuna of 'political consequences' if he poaches AIADMK cadre

Madurai: AIADMK leader R B Udhayakumar on Friday dismissed claims by TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna that 90 per cent of the dravidian party cadres were ready to jump ship to the Vijay-led party and warned of severe "political consequences" if attempts to poach AIADMK workers continued.

"I give you (Arjuna) this final warning: if you continue this body-snatching work and this drama of claiming to offer power, you will have to face severe political consequences and a massive political backlash. You will be forced to face it," said Udhayakumar.

Calling Arjuna a "recent political entrant" with no stable ideological grounding, the former minister alleged that TVK is aggressively trying to buy out loyal opposition cadres using absolute money power and administrative lures.

"The collective heartbreak of millions of unyielding grassroots workers of the AIADMK remains an inexhaustible vessel. A power centre who has hopped across multiple political parties over the last 10 years just to invest and accumulate power is now making hollow remarks about our cadres," Udhayakumar told reporters here.

Highlighting the electoral math, Udhayakumar pointed out that 68.5 per cent of the total voting population in Tamil Nadu cast their ballots against the DMK.

He slammed TVK for creating a "mirage of despair" around the AIADMK when, in reality, TVK had only captured a 34.5 per cent slice of that anti-incumbency sentiment, which is nowhere near a mandate to claim absolute authority or state governance.

"A party that hasn't fully secured public confidence to assume state power is actively executing a horse-trading theater on weekends and holidays, boasting that 'merger ceremonies' will continue on Saturdays and Sundays," he added.

Issuing an ultimatum, the former minister stated that the two-crore-strong cadre base of the AIADMK, down to the most ordinary grassroots worker, will retaliate legally and politically if this illicit poaching operation ("Aal Pidikira Velai") continues under the guise of providing political asylum.

He reiterated that victories and defeats have never deterred the AIADMK, and that their commitment to public service remains unshakeable under the leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami.

"If you persist in acting as an ideological enemy and tracking our loyalists, you will have to face severe and violent political backlash from millions of heartbroken yet resilient party workers," Udhayakumar said.