CHENNAI: The differences within the AIADMK legislature party deepened on Monday, with rebel leader CVe Shanmugam hitting back at Assembly whip Agri SS Krishnamurthy over the reasons for the party’s defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections. Krishnamurthy, a supporter of general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, had blamed district secretaries for the poor performance.
Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Shanmugam questioned how Palaniswami could be credited with the AIADMK’s victory in 47 constituencies if district secretaries were responsible for the party’s defeats elsewhere.
Shanmugam said Palaniswami was not elected CM by the MLAs after the 2016 elections and, under his leadership, the party lost power in 2021, leaving him as the Leader of the Opposition. In the 2026 elections, he said, the AIADMK secured only 47 seats and lost the opportunity to emerge as the principal opposition party. The number later fell to 41 after six MLAs moved to other parties.
Reacting to Krishnamurthy’s argument that Palaniswami had fielded candidates based on the advice of district secretaries, Shanmugam questioned their influence over the results. “In Villupuram district, the AIADMK won only three of the six seats, while its ally PMK won two.
“In Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, the AIADMK won only two of the 37 seats. Besides, the party was routed in the southern districts and the delta region. Of the 47 seats won by the AIADMK, 34 were won with the support of the PMK...
CHENNAI: The differences within the AIADMK legislature party deepened on Monday, with rebel leader CVe Shanmugam hitting back at Assembly whip Agri SS Krishnamurthy over the reasons for the party’...