Tamil Nadu: Veteran Sengottaiyan joins actor Vijay's TVK in party’s first high profile induction
Sengottaiyan, 77, was with the AIADMK since its founding by MG Ramachandran (MGR) in 1972 and was also a minister in the cabinet led by J Jayalalithaa.
Expelled AIADMK veteran, KA Sengottaiyan, joined Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), where he was immediately appointed chief coordinator of the party’s key state executive committee, signaling a boost to the fledgling party ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections. A nine-time MLA, Sengottaiyan was with the AIADMK for 50 years and joined TVK a day after resigning as the legislator from the Gobichettipalayam seat.
“He will lead this committee and assist me in carrying out the political activities of the party,” Vijay said in a statement. “In addition, he has been appointed as the Organizing Secretary for the districts of Erode, Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Nilgiris. He will carry out the work of the organization in these districts in consultation with me and the General Secretary of the organization, N Anand,” the statement added.
Sengottaiyan, 77, was with the AIADMK since its founding by MG Ramachandran (MGR) in 1972 and was also a minister in the cabinet led by J Jayalalithaa. His move is being seen as a shot in the arm for Vijay since TVK lacks seasoned politicians.
“At the age of 20, he (Sengottaiyan) joined revolutionary leader MGR. He also became an MLA at a young age and was a confidant of both leaders (MGR and Jayalalithaa),” Vijay said in a video message on Thursday. “He’s been with the same party for 50 years. I welcome the political work and experience he and his supporters would bring to TVK.”
Sengottaiyan clarified that the DMK had not approached him after his expulsion. “Even school students are asking their parents to vote for Vijay since the people want a change in Tamil Nadu,” he told reporters. He had earlier expressed pain over his situation after being with the AIADMK for five decades.
Sengottaiyan is the second legislator in Tamil Nadu to resign and join another party months ahead of next year’s assembly elections. Recently, expelled AIADMK leader Manoj Pandian, a loyalist of O Panneerselvam (OPS), resigned to join the ruling DMK.
Opposition leader and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) sacked Sengottaiyan on October 31, a day after he met with expelled leaders OPS, TTV Dhinakaran, and VK Sasikala, and pushed for the reunification of all AIADMK factions.
Sengottaiyan hails from the dominant Gounder community in western Tamil Nadu. “Sengottaiyan’s supporters in the AIADMK from Gobichettipalayam (in Erode district), who resigned when he was removed from all party posts, are also likely to join him,” said a TVK member.
In September, after Sengottaiyan called for bringing back the expelled leaders and met Union home minister Amit Shah seeking to merge all AIADMK factions, EPS removed him from all party positions, though Sengottaiyan remained an AIADMK member until his expulsion. EPS cited Sengottaiyan’s meeting with expelled leaders as going against the party’s policies and principles. This action was also a message to the BJP, which has pushed for the AIADMK to reintegrate sacked leaders to strengthen opposition to the DMK. EPS has remained firm against accommodating the expelled leaders, fearing the emergence of another power centre that could threaten his political future ahead of the 2026 polls.
The TVK’s lack of political experience was underscored by the stampede at Vijay’s rally in Karur district on September 27, which claimed 41 lives. No TVK leaders were present on the ground; Vijay left for Chennai immediately after the incident, released a video message three days later, and met grieving families privately a month afterward in Chennai.
Former AIADMK MP Sathiyabhama and several others, including former MLAs, have also joined TVK alongside Sengottaiyan.
