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TTV Dhinakaran announced the AMMK’s re-entry into the NDA after meeting Piyush Goyal, the BJP’s election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, in Chennai. (File Photo)
With months to go for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the state’s political churn sharpened on Wednesday as two parallel realignments underlined both the consolidation of major blocs and the eclipse of smaller factions.
The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), led by TTV Dhinakaran, formally returned to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), while the ruling DMK inducted former AIADMK Minister R Vaithilingam, the last senior leader to remain with O Panneerselvam.
Dhinakaran announced the AMMK’s re-entry into the NDA after meeting Piyush Goyal, the BJP’s election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, in Chennai, in the presence of L Murugan and Nainar Nagenthran. Welcoming the move, Goyal said the alliance was united in its resolve to defeat the ruling DMK and projected the NDA as a platform promising governance, social welfare and cultural pride.
For Dhinakaran, the decision marked a sharp political compromise. Once a fierce critic of Edappadi K Palaniswami, the AIADMK general secretary, he now framed past hostilities as differences between allies, arguing that the “larger objective” of unseating the DMK warranted setting them aside.
The AMMK had exited the NDA last year after the BJP revived ties with the AIADMK, complaining of neglect; its return now comes amid early seat-sharing discussions and ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s January 23 campaign rally near Maduranthagam, where Dhinakaran is expected to share the stage with Palaniswami for the first time since his expulsion from the AIADMK in 2017.
On the same day, the DMK absorbed Vaithilingam, the Orathanadu MLA from Thanjavur district, at its headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, in the presence of Chief Minister M K Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. Long regarded as Panneerselvam’s most steadfast lieutenant, Vaithilingam’s exit effectively leaves the AIADMK rebel leader without an organisational base.
Vaithilingam said the AIADMK was no longer functioning “effectively” under Palaniswami and accused it of authoritarian functioning. Invoking the legacy of C N Annadurai, he said the DMK represented the original Dravidian political tradition and that the proximity of elections, coupled with indecision in Panneerselvam’s camp, had forced his hand. While acknowledging that he had been invited to return to the AIADMK individually, he said he was unwilling to do so unless its rival factions reunited.
Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More
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