EPS removes 100+ Shanmugham loyalists from AIADMK posts in Villupuram
Synopsis
Edappadi Palaniswami has now purged over 100 Shanmugam loyalists from AIADMK posts in two separate waves — and the dissidents are still standing. With the party finishing third in two bypolls and senior leaders demanding a general council meeting Palaniswami refuses to call, the AIADMK's internal fracture is widening, not closing.
Key Takeaways
Palaniswami removed more than 100 AIADMK functionaries aligned with C.V.
Shanmugam from posts in Villupuram district .
The removals target Mayilam union , the heart of Shanmugam's own Assembly constituency.
This is the second purge wave; an earlier round in July failed to resolve the factional split.
The feud intensified after the AIADMK finished third in both the Madurantakam and Dharapuram bypolls.
Velumani have demanded an immediate general council meeting to discuss the party's electoral decline.
Two rival AIADMK groups continue to operate separately in Villupuram , deepening the organisational divide.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has stripped more than 100 party functionaries aligned with former minister C.V. Shanmugam of their organisational posts in Villupuram district, sharpening an internal power struggle triggered by the party's string of electoral reverses. The removals target office-bearers within the Mayilam union, which falls squarely within Shanmugam's own Mayilam Assembly constituency.
Scope of the Purge
The axed functionaries include union-level office-bearers and branch secretaries — multiple tiers of the party hierarchy — signalling that Palaniswami is intent on dismantling Shanmugam's grassroots base rather than simply removing a handful of visible dissenters. This is the second wave of such action; an earlier round in July had already stripped several Shanmugam supporters of their positions following his removal as the district secretary, a post that was subsequently handed to Pasupathi.
Roots of the Rift
The factional conflict within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) first broke into the open after the party's defeat in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election in April. A bloc of legislators, led by Shanmugam and former minister S.P. Velumani, openly questioned Palaniswami's leadership, exposing deep divisions in the once-disciplined Dravidian party. Since then, two parallel groups have operated in Villupuram — one loyal to Shanmugam and another working under the newly installed district secretary — effectively splitting the district unit.
Bypolls Deepen the Crisis
The dispute intensified after the AIADMK finished third in both the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly bypolls, outcomes that senior functionaries described as an organisational low point. Those results prompted a fresh round of criticism and renewed demands from Shanmugam, Velumani, and allied leaders for an immediate general council meeting to review the party's deteriorating electoral performance and chart a corrective course. Palaniswami has not responded to the general council demand; instead, he has chosen to deepen the disciplinary campaign against dissenters.
What the Action Signals
By widening the removals to cover multiple organisational layers within Mayilam union — Shanmugam's political heartland — Palaniswami is attempting to erode the structural support base that sustains the opposition within his own party. Notably, each previous round of removals failed to quell the dissent; the two factions continued functioning separately despite the July purge. The latest sweep is therefore a significant escalation, not a resolution. Whether it consolidates Palaniswami's grip or further radicalises the dissident bloc will define the AIADMK's organisational trajectory ahead of future elections.
Point of View
Not arrested it. Two bypoll third-place finishes in a row are not a leadership optics problem — they are an organisational and ideological one, and mass removals do nothing to answer either. The demand for a general council meeting is, at its core, a demand for internal democratic accountability; refusing it while wielding the expulsion instrument signals that Palaniswami sees the party as a personal vehicle rather than a collective institution. If the dissident bloc holds together after this second purge — and there is little sign it will fracture — the AIADMK risks entering the next electoral cycle split at the district level in one of Tamil Nadu's most politically active constituencies.
NationPress
17 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Edappadi Palaniswami remove AIADMK functionaries in Villupuram?
Palaniswami stripped more than 100 party office-bearers aligned with former minister C.V. Shanmugam of their posts in Villupuram district to counter an internal challenge to his leadership. The removals are the latest in a series of disciplinary actions following successive electoral defeats and open dissent from senior AIADMK leaders.
What triggered the AIADMK leadership feud?
The rift first surfaced after the AIADMK's defeat in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election in April, when a bloc of legislators led by Shanmugam and former minister S.P. Velumani challenged Palaniswami's leadership. The dispute deepened after the party finished third in both the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly bypolls.
What have the dissident AIADMK leaders demanded?
Shanmugam, Velumani, and allied senior functionaries have called for an immediate general council meeting to discuss the party's string of electoral defeats and examine the reasons behind its declining performance. Palaniswami has not convened such a meeting.
Is this the first time such removals have taken place?
No. An earlier round of removals occurred in July, when several Shanmugam supporters lost their party positions after his ouster as Villupuram district secretary. That purge failed to dissolve the factional divide, with two separate groups continuing to operate in the district.
Who is C.V. Shanmugam in the context of AIADMK?
C.V. Shanmugam is a former minister and AIADMK legislator from the Mayilam Assembly constituency in Villupuram district. He has emerged as one of the most prominent dissident voices within the party, challenging Palaniswami's authority alongside former minister S.P. Velumani after successive electoral setbacks.
