Former AIADMK Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar, who recently gave up his Assembly membership and joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), said on Monday it was purely his own choice devoid of any pressure or influence from any one.Mr. Vijayabhaskar told journalists at Karur that he held detailed consultations with AIADMK functionaries and workers to ascertain their suggestions before joining the TVK.Mr. Vijayabhaskar claimed no one from the TVK had invited him to join the party. [Recently he had said he was approached by the TVK]According to him, dissatisfied with the AIADMK leadership there was a “mass exodus” of AIADMK MLAs, former Ministers, ex-MLAs, and district level functionaries to the TVK. Several AIADMK office-bearers in Karur district had insisted that he should join the TVK, he said and added that he had convened 11 meetings with them to discuss the next course of action. As a majority of them favoured joining the TVK, Mr. Vijayabhaskar said he gave a deep thought to it and joined that party. Published - July 13, 2026 08:31 pm IST