‘Betrayal For Personal Gains’: EPS Rebukes 25 Rebel AIADMK MLAs Who Backed CM Vijay In Floor Test

Last Updated:May 13, 2026, 13:30 IST

AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami accused the rebel MLAs of betraying the party after they voted for CM Vijay in Tamil Nadu Assembly floor test.

Tamil Nadu politics witnessed fresh turmoil on Wednesday after 25 rebel AIADMK MLAs openly backed Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s TVK government ahead of the crucial Assembly floor test. Their support helped Vijay comfortably win the trust vote and exposed deep divisions within the AIADMK.

The rebel faction, led by senior leaders SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam, met Vijay and publicly declared support for the government. Some MLAs reportedly submitted letters backing the TVK administration, directly going against the party whip issued by AIADMK leadership.

Vijay wins trust vote

The support from rebel MLAs played a major role during the floor test. Their decision to either vote in favour of the Vijay government weakened the opposition numbers against Vijay.

The trust vote ended with Vijay’s government securing around 144 votes in support, while only 22 members voted against the motion. The result strengthened Vijay’s position in the Assembly and marked a major setback for the AIADMK leadership under Edappadi K Palaniswami.

EPS calls it ‘betrayal’

Reacting strongly to the cross voting, AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami accused the rebel MLAs of betraying the party.

EPS said the MLAs had gone “in the wrong direction" and claimed they had acted deliberately for “personal gains". He stated that they should not have contested elections under the AIADMK banner if they intended to go against the party’s stand.

He also defended the party’s electoral performance, saying AIADMK had won 47 seats and that it remained an important political force in Tamil Nadu despite the current crisis.

Threat of disciplinary action

Following the rebellion, the AIADMK leadership warned of strict disciplinary measures against MLAs who violated the party whip.

EPS accused rival political forces and opponents, including the DMK, of trying to engineer divisions within the AIADMK. He claimed outside interference was responsible for encouraging the revolt and weakening party unity.

The AIADMK leader also held meetings with district secretaries and loyal MLAs in an attempt to strengthen support within the party and prevent a larger split.

Growing split inside AIADMK

The developments have widened the existing divide between the Palaniswami camp and the faction led by Velumani and Shanmugam.

Questions are now being raised about the future leadership and direction of the AIADMK. While some leaders demanded accountability after the political setback, EPS resisted calls to step down as party chief or legislature leader.

At the same time, he indicated that corrective measures would be taken inside the party while efforts would continue to negotiate with dissident MLAs and avoid a complete breakdown within the organisation.

The rebellion has become one of the biggest internal challenges faced by the AIADMK in recent years.

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