The steady stream of defections from the AIADMK to the ruling TVK showed no signs of slowing down on June 6, as several senior leaders, including former ministers, former MLAs and a former MP, formally joined the party at its headquarters in Panaiyur.
The leaders were inducted into TVK in the presence of the party's General Secretary, N. Anand. The latest entrants included former AIADMK ministers Udumalai K. Radhakrishnan, Kadambur C. Raju, M.C. Sampath and N. Sivapathi, along with their supporters and several former legislators.
Their arrival marks another significant political gain for TVK, which has witnessed a growing number of opposition leaders shifting allegiance since the party came to power. Party functionaries indicated that more leaders from opposition parties are expected to join the ruling party in the coming days.
Four Former Ministers Cross Over
The induction of the four former ministers is seen as a major boost for TVK, as each of them enjoys influence in different regions of Tamil Nadu.
N. Sivapathi, a veteran AIADMK leader, won the Thottiyam Assembly constituency in 1991 and the Musiri constituency in 2011. He also served as Tamil Nadu's Education Minister during his political career.
M.C. Sampath represented the Nellikuppam Assembly constituency between 2001 and 2006 and later the Cuddalore constituency from 2011 to 2021. During his tenure, he handled multiple ministerial portfolios in successive AIADMK governments.
Kadambur C. Raju emerged as one of the party's prominent leaders in southern Tamil Nadu, winning the Kovilpatti Assembly constituency three consecutive times from 2011. He served as Minister for Information and Publicity between 2016 and 2021.
Udumalai K. Radhakrishnan won the Udumalaipettai Assembly seat in both the 2016 and 2021 elections and also served as a minister. In addition, he served as Chairman of Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable Television Corporation (TACTV).
Notably, barring Sivapathi, the other three former ministers had contested and lost in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Several Former MLAs Also Join
Along with the former ministers, several former AIADMK district secretaries and ex-MLAs joined TVK. These included:
A. Govindasamy (Pappireddipatti)
M. Murugan (Mudukulathur)
V. Panneerselvam (Kalasapakkam)
V.K.R. Srinivasan (Arcot)
Sadhan Prabhakar (Paramakudi)
Former AIADMK Member of Parliament from Tenkasi, M. Vasanthi, also joined the ruling party.
In another notable development, former DMK MLA J. Karunanidhi from T. Nagar formally enrolled in TVK, highlighting the party's growing appeal beyond AIADMK ranks.
Follows Recent High-Profile Defections
The latest political shift comes just days after four newly elected AIADMK MLAs resigned from the Assembly and joined TVK shortly after winning their seats in the 2026 elections.
Those MLAs were:
Maragatham Kumaravel (Madhuranthakam)
S. Jayakumar (Perundurai)
P. Sathyabama (Dharapuram)
Esaki Subaya (Ambasamudram)
Their decision had already raised concerns within the AIADMK about the party's ability to retain its elected representatives.
Adding to the opposition party's challenge, former AIADMK minister Vellamandi N. Natarajan and former Mylapore MLA R. Natraj had also joined TVK earlier this week.
Growing Concerns for AIADMK
The continuing defections are expected to weaken AIADMK's organisational structure in several districts where the departing leaders command significant support among cadres and local functionaries.
For TVK, however, the latest additions further consolidate its position after coming to power, with the ruling party steadily expanding its presence by attracting influential leaders from across the political spectrum.
With party insiders hinting at more high-profile inductions in the near future, Tamil Nadu's political landscape appears set for further realignments in the weeks ahead.
