AIADMK cadres push EPS to readmit TTV Dhinakaran for Tamil Nadu revival
Synopsis
Inside AIADMK's post-election review meetings, district cadres are openly pushing Edappadi Palaniswami to bring TTV Dhinakaran back — a reunion that could redraw Tamil Nadu's opposition map. Palaniswami's non-committal response has kept the question alive, even as the party scrambles to stop further defections to the ruling TVK.
Key Takeaways
AIADMK functionaries urged General Secretary Edappadi K.
Palaniswami on 6 July to readmit T.T.V.
Dhinakaran into the party.
The demand was raised during district-level review meetings at MGR Maaligai , Chennai , covering Thanjavur and Sivaganga districts.
Kumbakonam Area Secretary Padma Kumaresan said a reunion would strengthen the AIADMK in the Cauvery Delta and southern Tamil Nadu.
Palaniswami reportedly responded that Dhinakaran 'is running a separate political party' — stopping short of a direct refusal.
The consultations follow the AIADMK's Assembly election setback, during which several functionaries defected to the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) .
Dhinakaran was expelled from the AIADMK in 2017 and founded the AMMK thereafter.
AIADMK functionaries have urged party General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami to consider readmitting Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) General Secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran into the party fold, contending that such a reunion would meaningfully bolster the AIADMK's standing across the Cauvery Delta and southern districts of Tamil Nadu. The demand surfaced on Monday, 6 July during internal review consultations at the party's Chennai headquarters.
Where the Demand Emerged
Palaniswami convened a meeting at MGR Maaligai, the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai, with district-level functionaries from Thanjavur Metropolitan, Thanjavur East, Thanjavur Central, Thanjavur South, and Sivaganga. The sessions are part of a structured, district-wise review that Palaniswami has been conducting to assess the party's performance in the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly election and chart a course for organisational rebuilding.
Several district secretaries and senior office-bearers attended and shared their assessments. The Dhinakaran question was raised as one element of a broader discussion on reviving the party's grassroots strength.
What the Cadres Said
Kumbakonam Area Secretary Padma Kumaresan was among those who raised the issue directly with Palaniswami. Kumaresan told reporters after the meeting that grassroots workers and the public in his region strongly favour Dhinakaran's return. 'If T.T.V. Dhinakaran rejoins the AIADMK, the party will emerge stronger, and in the future the AIADMK will certainly be able to form the government,' he said.
According to Kumaresan, he conveyed to Palaniswami that a reunion would help consolidate the party's traditional support base in the Delta belt and southern districts, areas where AMMK has retained a visible presence since the 2017 split.
Palaniswami's Response
Palaniswami reportedly responded to the suggestion by noting that 'T.T.V. Dhinakaran is running a separate political party' — an acknowledgement of the AMMK's independent status rather than a categorical rejection. The measured response has left the door open to interpretation, with Kumaresan expressing confidence that the reunion remains a live possibility.
Context: Post-Election Reorganisation
The consultations come at a critical juncture for the AIADMK. The party suffered a significant setback in the Assembly election, during which several functionaries switched allegiance to the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Palaniswami's district-wise review meetings are aimed at understanding the drivers of that erosion and gathering ground-level suggestions to stabilise and rebuild the organisation ahead of future electoral contests.
Notably, the Dhinakaran question has recurred in AIADMK internal discussions for several years. Dhinakaran, the nephew of late party patriarch M.G. Ramachandran's wife Jayalalithaa's close aide V.K. Sasikala, was expelled from the AIADMK in 2017 and subsequently floated the AMMK. Whether Palaniswami moves beyond acknowledgement to active outreach will be closely watched as the party's reorganisation effort advances.
Point of View
And the Assembly election exposed just how much ground the party has lost in its own heartland. Palaniswami's non-committal reply — noting that Dhinakaran leads a separate party — is the language of a leader who has not closed the door but is unwilling to pay the political price of opening it publicly. The real question is whether a Dhinakaran reunion would consolidate votes or trigger a new round of internal dissent from factions that define themselves precisely by his absence. Tamil Nadu's opposition arithmetic will not be settled by nostalgia alone.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are AIADMK cadres urging TTV Dhinakaran's return?
AIADMK functionaries believe Dhinakaran's readmission would consolidate the party's support base in the Cauvery Delta and southern Tamil Nadu, regions where the AMMK retains influence. The demand was raised during post-election review meetings as part of a wider push to rebuild the organisation after an Assembly election setback.
What was Edappadi Palaniswami's response to the proposal?
Palaniswami reportedly noted that 'T.T.V. Dhinakaran is running a separate political party,' acknowledging the AMMK's independent status without issuing a direct refusal. The response was seen as non-committal, leaving the possibility open to further discussion.
Why was TTV Dhinakaran expelled from the AIADMK?
T.T.V. Dhinakaran was expelled from the AIADMK in 2017 following a factional conflict linked to the influence of V.K. Sasikala within the party. He subsequently founded the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) as a separate political outfit.
What is the purpose of Palaniswami's district-wise review meetings?
Palaniswami has been holding structured, district-level consultations to assess the reasons behind the AIADMK's performance in the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly election and gather ground-level suggestions for organisational reform. The meetings also address the defection of several functionaries to the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
How would Dhinakaran's return affect Tamil Nadu's political landscape?
Supporters argue it would reunite a fragmented anti-DMK vote base and strengthen the AIADMK's prospects in southern and Delta districts. Critics within the party, however, warn it could reignite the factional tensions that led to the 2017 split in the first place.
