CHENNAI: Ending speculation about his next political move, KA Sengottaiyan, a nine-time AIADMK MLA and party veteran, met TVK president Vijay at his Pattinapakkam house on Wednesday just hours after resigning his legislator post.
The discussion lasted for around two hours. Senior TVK functionaries N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna and CTR Nirmal Kumar were present at the house, but it’s not clear if the talks happened in their presence.
Sengottaiyan met Speaker M Appavu at the state secretariat in the morning and submitted the letter to resign as Gobichettipalayam MLA. A senior official of the TN Assembly said the letter is in proper form and is likely to be accepted by the speaker.
TVK sources said a sizeable number of Sengottaiyan’s supporters from his native district of Erode are expected to join TVK on Thursday along with him. Amid rumours about DMK, too, wooing the Erode strongman, HR&CE Minister PK Sekarbabu held talks with Sengottaiyan minutes after the submission of resignation letter.
In his 50-year-long political career, Sengottaiyan has never made a decision this fast, say some political observers on his move to switch camps within three months of the flare-up with AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami.
‘Sengottaiyan joining TVK won’t impact AIADMK’
On September 5, Sengottaiyan set a 10-day deadline to EPS to initiate steps to bring all those who had drifted away from AIADMK back into the party fold. A few days later, EPS reacted by stripping Sengottaiyan and his supporters of their party posts.
In a twist in the tale, Sengottaiyan met BJP leaders Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi and told reporters that good news can be expected soon. His meeting with O Panneerselvam, TTV Dhinakaran, and VK Sasikala during Thevar Jayanthi in Pasumpon on October 30 turned about to be the proverbial last straw and Palaniswami expelled Sengottaiyan from AIADMK.
Sengottaiyan’s decision to joinhands with Vijay highlights two points: One, he may have reconciled to the fact that unification of AIADMK may not be possible, considering the experience of leaders like O Paneerselvam. Two, it would be prudent for him to take shelter in a party (TVK) where his experience will be respected and his life-long political fight against the DMK can still be continued without ideological compromise.
Talking to TNIE, former AIADMK minister SS Vaigaichelvan said, “Sengottaiyan joining the TVK won’t have any impact on the AIADMK. In politics, such developments are quite natural. When autumn arrives, leaves fall; when spring returns, they sprout anew.
In the past, veteran leaders like SD Somasundaram left the party, and many functionaries have even launched their own parties. Vaiko left the DMK with many functionaries. But what happened later is history.”
Former MLA and supporter of O Panneerselvam A Subburathinam told TNIE, “Sengottaiyan’s decision to join TVK is unfortunate. OPS and others have been struggling for the unification of the AIADMK for over 4.5 years. Sengottaiyan could not carry the fight for even three months.”
He also added, “This decision will tarnish his image. TVK will benefit to a certain extent since Sengottaiyan is a good organiser.”
Earlier in the day, Anwhar Raajhaa, ex-AIADMK MP who joined DMK recently, said, “The right place for Sengottaiyan is DMK as both DMK and AIADMK have common ideologies.”
Meanwhile, in Madurai, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan said, “Had Sengottaiyan decided to join the TVK on his own, I have nothing to say. But there is a suspicion about RSS and BJP’s involvement in the development as already Sengottaiyan had gone on record to say that BJP had invited him to Delhi. I have been saying that BJP has always been trying to weaken the AIADMK. This is not good for AIADMK as well as TN politics. I am sure the AIADMK will ponder over this seriously.”