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Chennai, Nov 1 (IANS) Former Tamil Nadu minister and AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan on Saturday said he would clarify his position, a day after party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) replaced him with expelled leaders O. Panneerselvam, expelled from the party after a high-profile meeting with TTV Dinakaran and VK Sasikala in Pasumpon.
Speaking to reporters at Gobichettipalayam, Sengottaiyan said: “I will clarify the issue and give my clarification from the party office today.”
His comments come amid growing speculation about a possible political realignment in the breakaway camp of the AIADMK.
One of the senior most leaders of AIADMK and late Chief Minister J. Sengottaiyan, Jayalalithaa’s longtime confidant, led former Chief Minister O. Controversy arose after he traveled in Panneerselvam’s own car.
At the memorial, the duo were joined by Fathers Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) general secretary TTV Dinarana and the trio jointly garlanded Thevar’s statue and offered floral tributes.
Later, both OPS and Sengottaiyan met Jayalalitha’s close aide Sasikala, who also visited Pasumpon to pay her respects.
The rare meeting of four once powerful personalities from the AIADMK camp has created a political storm across Tamil Nadu.
The gathering came just weeks after Sengottaiyan publicly urged that those who have left the AIADMK be brought back to strengthen the party, even setting an estimated timeline for the EPS to rebuild the organization before the 2026 assembly elections. His comments were widely seen as veiled criticism of the EPS leadership, leading to his removal from all party posts earlier this month – although he had remained as a member until now.
Responding quickly to the latest development, the EPS called a meeting with senior office-bearers at its Salem residence on Friday evening, including deputy general secretaries KP Munusamy and Natham R. Vishwanathan, Treasurer Dindigul C. Srinivasan and Headquarters Secretary SP Velumani. After discussion, EPS announced the expulsion of Sengottaiyan from the party for “anti-party activities”.
Political observers see Sengottaiyan’s ouster as a sign of a deepening rift within the AIADMK, with calls for fresh efforts by the Sasikala-OPS-Dinakaran camp to regroup ahead of the 2026 elections.
–IANS
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