The rift in the AIADMK widened on Monday (May 11, 2026) with the party legislators divided into two groups and seeking to project Edappadi K Palaniswami and S.P. Velumani as the party’s floor leaders.
On Monday (May 11, 2026), after the swearing-in of all the legislators was over, a letter, purportedly signed by a group of legislators of the AIADMK stating that Mr. Palaniswami had been elected the Leader of the Legislature Party, was submitted to the Pro-tem Speaker M.V. Karuppaiah at his chamber. As per media reports, the general secretary got the backing of 17 of the 47 MLAs belonging to the AIADMK, though a member of the Palaniswami camp claimed it was 24.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Palaniswami denied reports that the party was heading towards a split.
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