Trust vote rift deepens as All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam sacks CV Shanmugam from key role

A major political rift erupted inside the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Wednesday.

After party chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami removed several senior leaders from organisational posts following cross-voting during the Tamil Nadu Assembly trust vote.

The disciplinary action targeted leaders who backed the government led by Vijay instead of following the official AIADMK stand during the confidence motion. Among the prominent names removed were S. P. Velumani and C. V. Shanmugam, both considered influential figures within the party.

In total, 29 leaders, including 13 MLAs, were relieved of responsibilities such as district secretary and other party posts. Senior leaders like R. Kamaraj, C. Vijayabaskar, P. Thangamani, K. P. Anbazhagan, K. C. Veeramani and M. R. Vijayabhaskar also lost their party positions as the leadership moved to contain the rebellion.

The crisis intensified after 25 AIADMK legislators voted in favour of the confidence motion moved by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government. Their support proved crucial in helping Vijay comfortably survive the floor test in the Assembly.

The TVK administration, which had initially fallen short of the majority mark despite emerging as the single-largest party with 108 seats, eventually secured support from Congress, Left parties, IUML and the rebel AIADMK faction to win the trust vote.

Tense scenes unfolded in the Assembly after Palaniswami accused the ruling side of attempting to influence AIADMK legislators with offers of money and ministerial positions. Reaffirming the party’s opposition to the motion, the former chief minister insisted all AIADMK MLAs would vote against the government.

However, the political drama escalated when Speaker J. C. D. Prabhakar allowed Velumani to speak immediately after Palaniswami. Breaking ranks publicly, Velumani announced support for Vijay’s government and said the decision reflected the wishes of the people.

The rebellion became more direct after the trust vote when Shanmugam openly criticised Palaniswami’s leadership, accusing him of moving away from the AIADMK’s core ideology centred around opposing the DMK.

Shanmugam argued that many within the party had been demanding reconciliation with expelled leaders to strengthen the organisation ahead of future elections, but the leadership had failed to act. Denying accusations of betrayal, he maintained that supporting the confidence motion did not amount to abandoning the party’s principles.

The developments have now pushed the AIADMK into one of its biggest internal crises in recent years, with divisions between the leadership and rebel camp out in the open. The split could significantly reshape opposition politics in Tamil Nadu and potentially strengthen Vijay’s position if the party’s internal battle continues to deepen.