Major shocker in Tamil Nadu politics; KA Sengottaiyan's half a century tie with AIADMK severed; will former minister shake hands with Vijay?

CHENNAI: Senior AIADMK leader and former minister KA Sengottaiyan may join Vijay's Tamil Vetri Kazhagam. An announcement in this regard will be made today. Gobichettipalayam MLA Sengottaiyan resigned ahead of his party switch. He submitted his resignation after meeting Speaker M Appavu in person. Sengottaiyan, who arrived at the secretariat to submit his resignation, has given rise to rumours that he met senior DMK leader and minister PK Shekhar Babu in the Speaker's room. It is rumoured that Shekhar Babu has asked him to reconsider his decision to join TVK.

Sengottaiyan reportedly resigned after communicating with key leaders of TVK. Sengottaiyan's supporters had held discussions with Vijay in Kanchipuram on Sunday. It will be a huge gain for Vijay if Sengottaiyan joins TVK. Sengottaiyan, an election strategist, is also a leader with popular influence in the western region of Tamil Nadu.

Sengottaiyan was the one who formulated the operational strategies from the grassroots during Jayalalithaa's party leadership. A close aide of MGR, he was also Jayalalithaa's confidant. He was elected to the assembly nine times and was a member of both MGR and Jayalalithaa's ministries.

Expelled for trying to bring back those who had been expelled

The AIADMK leadership, under General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), expelled K.A. Sengottaiyan from the party's primary membership and all his posts after he issued an ultimatum demanding the reinstatement of V.K. Sasikala, O. Panneerselvam, and T.T.V. Dhinakaran. He was expelled from the AIADMK after he attended a function in Ramanathapuram with Panneerselvam and Dinakaran. Action was soon taken against his followers from Erode and Gobichettipalayam areas.

Sengottaiyan is a leader close to BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami agreed to restore the alliance with the BJP as a result of pressure from leaders including Sengottaiyan.