Shanmugam-Led AIADMK Faction Backs TVK, Vows to Contest Alone

Shanmugam said the majority of party members had rejected the proposal of forming a government with the support of the DMK.

“We started this party against the DMK. For 53 years, we did politics against the DMK. In such a situation, the proposal that an AIADMK government would be formed with the support of the DMK was one that the majority of members did not accept and instead opposed,” he said.

“If we join an alliance with the DMK, then the AIADMK will be vanished. They didn't accept it. We took the decision to support the TVK, which got the victory,” he added.

Shanmugam further stated that the majority of AIADMK MLAs passed a resolution that the party would contest future elections independently and without any alliance.

He also announced that former minister S.P. Velumani would serve as the AIADMK Assembly Leader, while C. Vijayabaskar had been appointed as the party Whip. He said the party had already submitted the letter to the Pro-tem Speaker.

“So, the majority of AIADMK MLAs in the meeting passed a resolution that the AIADMK will contest the election alone. AIADMK will be without any alliance. We are without an alliance now and should revamp our party in the coming days,” he said.

Reflecting on the party’s recent electoral setbacks, Shanmugam said AIADMK leaders collectively accepted responsibility for the losses and called for an internal review.

“Hereafter, regarding the AIADMK, in the past elections we have been facing continuous losses. There is no other body to blame any individual. We accept the verdict and collectively accept the loss,” he said.

“We should do research on why we lost, in consultation with all. We have asked General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami to convene a meeting of the General Council as soon as possible to discuss why we lost,” he added.