K. A. Sengottaiyan, expelled veteran of AIADMK formally joined actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Thursday, a day after resigning as MLA from the Gobichettipalayam constituency.
Sengottaiyan’s induction is being seen as one of the most significant defections to TVK since its formation.
The 77-year-old leader and his supporters, including a former MP, joined the fledgling Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) here and were welcomed into the party fold by its founder Vijay.
The former state minister and senior politician, who was hailed as MGR loyalist, arrived at the TVK headquarters in Panaiyur here, and joined the party along with several supporters, including former AIADMK MP V Sathyabama.
Personally welcoming him into the party, Vijay said Sengottaiyan's political experience and dedicated work on the field would be an asset to the TVK.
"Annan's 50 years of political experience and dedicated work on the political turf will be a big support to the TVK," Vijay later said in a video message.
"He took on the big responsibility of being an MLA at a young age of 20.
He was a symbol of trust for the two great leaders of the AIADMK: MGR and J Jayalalithaa," Vijay said referring to Sengottaiyan's maiden victory from Sathyamangalam assembly constituency in 1977.
On Wednesday, the nine-time MLA submitted his resignation letter to Assembly Speaker M. Appavu at the Secretariat.
Sengottaiyan openly rebelled against AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on September 5, urging him to initiate measures to reinduct expelled leaders including former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, TTV Dhinakaran and VK Sasikala.
He had said it was imperative to bring back all expelled leaders to the AIADMK fold to prevent further electoral defeats. However, he was immediately stripped of his party posts as a disciplinary measure.
Soon after being expelled, Sengottaiyan had announced his intention to challenge the decision in court, calling the expulsion unconstitutional and authoritarian.
In his criticism of AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), Sengottaiyan accused him of abandoning the founding ideals of the party icons and running the party with dictatorial authority.
With this switch, Sengottaiyan bolsters TVK’s political heft well ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.