For AIADMK,this is not small thing ah,because he was not some random leader who came yesterday .
Natarajan has spent decades with AIADMK and was elected from Tiruchi East Assembly constituency in 2016 . He also served as Tourism Minister under late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa,so his exit naturally looks like one more blow to party already dealing with too much internal confusion.
And honestly,his reason is also not very surprising. After Jayalalithaa’s death,AIADMK has been stuck in power struggles,splits,defeats and constant leadership issues . Natarajan had first sided with former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam during internal fight,but later returned to AIADMK led by Edappadi K . Palaniswami after Panneerselvam aligned with DMK in anticipation of 2026 Assembly elections .
But even after coming back,things clearly did not settle for him. Internal strife inside AIADMK seems to have pushed him towards TVK,which he says is carrying ideological legacy of respected leaders.
Few things standing out clearly in this move:
- Vellamandi Natarajan cited persistent internal divisions in AIADMK as reason for leaving .
- His move comes after several AIADMK MLAs defected to TVK.
- AIADMK MP Dhanpal has called for investigations into defections,alleging inducements from TVK .
After joining TVK,Natarajan said,"I have been in the party for long time. After Jayalalithaa’s death,the party split and has since suffered continuous defeats." That line itself says lot about frustration inside AIADMK camp.
He also stressed that AIADMK leaders need unity if they want to plan properly for future . And tbh,this is where problem looks deeper than just one leader switching side. When old loyalists start walking away,it usually means anger has been sitting inside for long time.
AIADMK is already under pressure because recent defections have raised questions about its hold in Tamil Nadu politics . At same time,TVK is gaining attention with every such entry,and that will obviously create more discomfort for AIADMK leadership.
But allegation side is also serious . AIADMK MP Dhanpal talking about possible inducements and asking for investigation into defections shows this fight may not remain just political optics only .
And with 2026 Assembly elections ahead,this move by Natarajan may become one more signal that Tamil Nadu politics is shifting quietly under surface… or maybe loudly enough for everyone to notice now…
