Rebel legislators likely to contest bypolls on TVK tickets.
May 25, 2026: Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar on Monday accepted the resignations of three AIADMK MLAs — Sathyabama, Maragatham Kumaravel and Jayakumar — who had recently rebelled to support Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s government led by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The MLAs are expected to formally join the ruling party and may contest the upcoming bypolls on TVK tickets. The Speaker said the resignations were accepted after verifying that they complied with Assembly rules and were submitted personally by the legislators.
The three legislators represent Dharapuram, Madhuranthakam and Perundurai constituencies. They were among the rebel AIADMK faction led by senior leaders C Ve Shanmugam and S P Velumani, who had voted in favour of Vijay’s government during the recent trust vote. Soon after meeting the Speaker, the MLAs also met TVK minister Aadhav Arjuna, further fuelling speculation about their entry into the ruling party. Bypolls for their seats are likely to be held along with the Trichy East constituency vacated by Vijay.
Reacting sharply, AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) accused rivals of “horse-trading” and described the resignations as part of a “pre-planned conspiracy.” The AIADMK has been facing increasing internal turmoil since the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2016. The crisis deepened after 25 AIADMK MLAs voted in support of the TVK-led government, raising questions about the party’s unity and future leadership. The Speaker said petitions regarding the alleged defiance of the party whip are still under examination and a decision will be announced later.