AIADMK Meeting Seeks Dhinakaran's Return
At a recent AIADMK party meeting, several members raised a demand to bring back TTV Dhinakaran into the party fold. Dhinakaran, who was expelled from the AIADMK in 2017, later launched the AMMK in 2018. The move comes after he joined the AIADMK-led alliance in January this year for the assembly elections, ending an eight-year opposition to former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
Background of Dhinakaran's Expulsion and AMMK Formation
Dhinakaran was expelled from the AIADMK in 2017 following a power struggle. Subsequently, 18 MLAs supporting him were disqualified by the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker. In response, Dhinakaran founded the AMMK in 2018 and contested elections as a rival to the AIADMK. For eight years, he remained a vocal critic of Palaniswami's leadership.
Shift in Political Alliances
In a significant political shift, Dhinakaran joined the AIADMK-led alliance in January 2026 ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections. This move was seen as a strategic consolidation of anti-DMK forces. The demand for his full-fledged return to the AIADMK now indicates a desire among party members to strengthen the alliance further. According to party sources, the meeting saw strong support for reintegrating Dhinakaran, with many citing his political acumen and grassroots connect.
