AIADMK leader S.P. Velumani likely to resign as MLA: Party sources

AIADMK deputy general secretary and Thondamuthur MLA S.P. Velumani is likely to resign his Assembly membership and quit the party, according to AIADMK sources. The development comes amid a series of resignations that have reduced the AIADMK’s strength in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 47 to 41.

Six AIADMK MLAs have already submitted their resignations to Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar, formalising an internal rebellion within the party. So far, four of them have joined the Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

The resignations follow an earlier rebellion in which 25 AIADMK MLAs defied the party whip and voted in favour of the confidence motion moved by the Chief Minister last month.

In an apparent bid to contain the crisis, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on June 25 appointed S.P. Velumani and Natham Viswanathan, both former rebel leaders, as deputy general secretaries of the party. The two had earlier been removed from their organisational posts after rebelling against the leadership following the Assembly election results.

Before departing for Chennai from Coimbatore airport on Tuesday (June 30, 2026), Mr. Velumani neither confirmed nor denied the likelihood of his resignation. He told reporters he would update them on the matter later. Sources also indicated the likelihood of the former Minister eventually joining the TVK.