Shanmugam justifies his group’s support to TVK

Former Law Minister and the rebel leader in the AIADMK, C.Ve. Shanmugam, on Wednesday (May 13, 2026) explained the rationale behind his faction’s support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) regime. 

The AIADMK had been established to oppose the DMK and this was the main objective in respect of the TVK too. “This is why we are favouring this regime. There is no other motive behind our support to the government,” Mr. Shanmugam told reporters outside his office here, adding every worker in the AIADMK wanted the organisation to hold on to the anti-DMK line firmly. 

Reiterating the opposition of his group to the AIADMK-DMK tie-up, Mr. Shanmugam said the party had been suffering electoral setbacks since 2019 and so far, Mr. Palaniswami had refused to own up the defeats. On the contrary, Jayalalithaa, when lost the election in 1996, went on record, acknowledging her responsibility for the setback. The former Minister observed apart from Mr. Palaniswami, others too were equally responsible for the current spell of defeats. “Let us all collectively own up,” he said, asking the general secretary to produce a copy of the resolution in support of the election of the legislature party leader and the whip, as claimed by Mr. Palaniswami. 

Former Local Administration Minister S.P. Velumani, called for the re-induction of former leaders such as the general secretary of the All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam V.K. Sasikala and the founder of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) T.T.V. Dhinakaran into the AIADMK. Stressing the need for reforms in the party, he conceded that Mr. Palaiswami remained the general secretary. “All our plea to him is to have a discussion on the reasons for the defeats of the party at the hustings. Let him not throw out any more persons from the organisation!”