Sengottaiyan resigns as MLA amid speculations over joining Vijay’s TVK

According to sources, the 77-year-old, who hails from dominant Gounder community, a key vote bank of the AIADMK, has been promised a “top post” in the TVK.

Chennai: Actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) is likely to induct its first high-profile leader in expelled AIADMK leader K A Sengottaiyan, who brings with him about 50 years of experience in Dravidian politics gained by working with leaders like M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa. 

The 77-year-old, a nine-term legislator, was expelled from the party on October 31 after he pushed for the unification of the AIADMK by bringing back sacked leaders such as V K Sasikala, T T V Dhinakaran, and O Panneerselvam. 

“We're in advanced talks with Sengottaiyan. He's most likely to join TVK in the presence of our leader Vijay on November 27,” a source aware of the developments told DH.

On Wednesday, Sengotaiyyan resigned as a MLA and met Vijay informally. 

The source added that Sengottaiyan, who hails from the dominant Gounder community, a key vote bank of the AIADMK, has been promised a “top post” in the TVK.

It is also believed that Sengottaiyan will join TVK along with his supporters who were also expelled from the AIADMK by its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami. 

Sengottaiyan will be an asset for the TVK which now lacks experienced politicians in its fold – a majority of its second-rung leaders are either novices or inexperienced politicians who never worked with the Dravidian majors.

It is believed that Vijay wanted a veteran like Sengottaiyan not just to advise him but also formulate strategies for the 2026 Assembly elections. 

The lack of a politically trained and experienced hand in TVK ranks was felt after the Karur stampede that killed 41 people when the party’s response was inadequate. 

Sengottaiyan not just brings about 50 years of his experience working with the AIADMK and taking on the DMK within and outside the Assembl, but also his capability to design the election campaign. 

“Sengottaiyan knows every nook and corner of Tamil Nadu, and he was the one who designed the campaign for J Jayalalithaa for about two decades. He is one of the best campaign planners in the state. Sengottaiyan will bring huge strength to the TVK,” another source said. 

Besides serving as MLA for nine terms first from Sathyamangalam and then from Gobichettipalayam, Sengottaiyan was also a minister in the Jayalalithaa and Palaniswami cabinets. 

Sources in Sengottaiyan’s camp told DH that he has worked the phones for the past two days to convince many former MLAs and MPs who owe their posts to him to follow suit in joining the TVK. “Some people have rejected his request while some have agreed. We are still talking to many leaders in Erode, Tiruppur, and Coimbatore districts,” a source added. 

Sengottaiyan, who was one of the senior most leaders of the AIADMK since its founding in 1972 by MGR, was at loggerheads with Palaniswami for the past several months.

In September, he urged Palaniswami to initiate the process for unification of the AIADMK and shared the stage with OPS and Dhinakaran on October 30 and was expelled from the party the next day. 

The veteran politician himself admitted that he spoke about bringing back expelled leaders only after the BJP asked him to do so.

However, Sengottaiyan was upset with the BJP after it left him in the lurch when the AIADMK general secretary removed him from party posts and later expelled him from the party.