CHENNAI: Former AIADMK minister P Benjamin joined the DMK in the presence of party president MK Stalin at Anna Arivalayam on Wednesday. Considered one of the prominent Dalit faces in the AIADMK after former Speaker P Dhanapal, Benjamin’s move comes amid a series of political realignments in the state.
Though there had been speculation that he might join the TVK, following some of his former AIADMK colleagues, he ultimately chose the DMK. Benjamin was inducted into the cabinet of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa as school education minister in May 2016.
Benjamin is also known for organising the AIADMK general council meeting at Srivari Mahal in 2022, during which ex-CM O Panneerselvam was expelled from the party.
“A few of the ex-AIADMK ministers in the western region and in the delta are likely to join DMK soon,” sources said.