CHENNAI/ERODE/THENI: In an attempt to firmly assert his position and send a warning to dissenters within the party, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday removed K A Sengottaiyan, veteran party leader and Gobichettipalayam MLA, from the post of AIADMK’s organisation secretary and the secretary of party’s Erode Rural West District unit.
The move followed the 10-day ultimatum issued by the nine-time MLA to Palaniswami on Friday to initiate measures to allow the return of leaders, including former CM O Panneerselvam, AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran and VK Sasikala, to the party.
Palaniswami also removed eight of Sengottaiyan’s supporters from their party posts. However, none were expelled from the party. The statements, removing Sengottaiyan and other functionaries from their posts, did not mention any reason for the action.
AK Selvaraj, Mettupalayam MLA and an organising secretary of the party, was appointed as secretary in-charge of Erode Rural West District party unit in the place of Sengottaiyan.
Sengottaiyan told reporters in Erode that the party leadership should have adhered to democratic norms and sought his explanation first.
Removal unexpected, but would continue with task of unifying AIADMK: Sengottaiyan
Others removed included K A Subramanian, Nambiyur north union secretary; M Eswaramoorthy, Nambiyur south union secretary; N D Kurunjinathan, Gobichettipalayam west union secretary; M Devaraj, Anthiyur north union secretary; S S Ramesh, Athani town panchayat secretary; T Marudhamuthu, Athani town panchayat deputy secretary, KS Mohan Kumar, deputy secretary of the party’s Erode zonal IT wing, and A Sithuraj, Palladam south union secretary.
Sengottaiyan said that he expressed his opinion on Friday to bring back the expelled leaders, reflecting the sentiments of the cadres, with the intention of achieving a grand victory for the party in the 2026 assembly elections. “They removed me from the party post for that … time will give the answer,” he said. Stating that his removal from the posts was unexpected, Sengottaiyan reiterated that he would continue with the task of unifying the party.
Without naming anyone, Sengottaiyan said some AIADMK functionaries had contacted him over phone after his announcement on Friday. “I have spoken for the welfare of the party,” he said, adding that leaders like Dhinakaran, BJP’s Nainar Nagenthran, H Raja, and DMDK’s Premalatha Vijayakanth have expressed support, justifying his stance.
“Everyone says what I have said is right. The public and cadres want the AIADMK to win. The functionaries expelled from the party are also willing. Someone from Kancheepuram has said he was ready to prostrate before the general secretary to rejoin the AIADMK. However, no steps have been taken in this regard,” he said.
He evaded responding to a question on the stance of other leaders he named on Friday, who had reportedly met Palaniswami with him after AIADMK’s poor show in 2024 Lok Sabha elections to appeal for bringing back the expelled leaders to strengthen the party.
To a question on senior party leader S Semmalai’s comment that fixing a deadline for the party leadership was inappropriate, Sengottaiayan said, “He may have spoken like that because he is with the AIADMK leadership.”
Party sources said that more of Sengottaiyan’s supporters in Erode are likely to resign from party posts. Meanwhile, Palaniswami’s supporters burst crackers in Nambiyur, welcoming the action against Sengottaiyan and his supporters.
O Panneerselvam, who spoke to reporters in Theni, criticised Palaniswami for action against Sengottaiyan, who just expressed his desire to unite the party. “He did not deliver any hate speech or comment on anyone in particular,” he said, adding that even late CM and party supremo J Jayalalithaa took action against those who violated the party’s rules but never acted against anyone who expressed their views for party’s unity.