The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is navigating a deepening internal crisis as a rebel faction led by former ministers C. Ve. Shanmugam and S.P. Velumani reportedly closes in on the signature count required to demand a special general council meeting, even as party chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) appears to be holding back from calling one himself. The standoff, centred in Chennai, is being closely watched as a potential turning point in the party's organisational future.

Where the Shanmugam Faction Stands

According to party sources, the rebel camp has already secured signatures from nearly two-fifths of the general council members and is preparing to formally submit a request for a special meeting in the coming days. A senior AIADMK leader said the faction has 'already crossed the required number needed to seek a special general council meeting,' adding that 'it is now only a matter of time before they formally put pressure on the leadership.'

Notably, this is not a fringe effort — the involvement of former ministers of the stature of Shanmugam and Velumani gives the rebel push organisational weight that earlier dissent lacked.

What the EPS Camp Is Doing

Rather than pushing for an immediate general council meeting, the Palaniswami camp has reportedly been focused on stabilising the party structure following a wave of disciplinary action and organisational reshuffles. Sources indicate that members who had earlier signed documents in support of the rebels are now receiving letters from the EPS camp urging them to declare those signatures invalid, on the grounds that no official announcement has been made by the party leadership.

Palaniswami recently removed 26 district secretaries — including former ministers and MLAs — from their positions and appointed 17 new office-bearers. On Saturday, he reportedly extended this restructuring by removing two more district secretaries from Pudukottai East and Tenkasi North.

The Assembly Floor Test Backdrop

The current crisis is inseparable from the controversy over the Assembly floor test, in which a section of AIADMK legislators allegedly defied the party whip and voted in support of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government. That episode accelerated the fault lines within the party, triggering the wave of disciplinary action that followed.

This is not the first time the AIADMK has faced a serious internal rupture — the party went through a prolonged leadership battle following the death of founder J. Jayalalithaa in 2016, eventually consolidating under Palaniswami after the expulsion of O. Panneerselvam. The current challenge, however, comes from within the EPS loyalist base itself, making it structurally different.

Disqualification Petitions Under Review

Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar confirmed that petitions submitted by both rival AIADMK factions — each seeking the other's disqualification — remain under review. He stated that a decision would be taken only after due examination, leaving the legislative dimension of the crisis unresolved for now.

What Comes Next

Political observers believe the coming days will be decisive in determining whether EPS succeeds in consolidating his authority or whether the internal challenge escalates into a wider organisational confrontation. If the rebel faction formally submits its petition for a special general council meeting, the party leadership will face a difficult choice between accommodation and confrontation.