Senior AIADMK leader KBS Raja, a cousin of party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, has resigned from the party, alleging that he was repeatedly overlooked for an Assembly election ticket despite decades of service.
Raja, who served as the deputy general secretary of the AIADMK's MGR Manram, announced his resignation on Monday along with a section of his supporters.
In a statement, he said he had worked for the party for nearly 30 years but was denied an opportunity to contest the Assembly elections on two occasions. Claiming that his loyalty and contributions had gone unrecognised, Raja said he had decided to sever ties with the party.
Raja has not yet announced his future political plans. The AIADMK leadership has not officially responded to his resignation.
(With inputs from PTI)