AIADMK rebel leader and Mailam MLA C.Ve. Shanmugam, on Sunday (June 14, 2025), launched a scathing attack on party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, accusing him of refusing to correct errors and suppressing dissent within the party.

Speaking to reporters in Tindivanam, Mr. Shanmugam said AIADMK was founded on the principle that any cadre could become Chief Minister, Minister, or Member of Parliament— a trait that attracted lakhs of people to the movement. He insisted AIADMK is not a family outfit but a cadre-based party.

Mr. Shanmugam claimed that 31 of the 41 Assembly seats won by AIADMK in the 2026 Assembly elections were “alms” given by the PMK. He said if the PMK was not in the alliance, Mr. Palaniswami would have struggled but still won.

‘Drama to facilitate entry of EPS’ son into AIADMK’

He said that today, the party is falling into the clutches of a single family and accused Mr. Palaniswami of staging a “drama” to facilitate his son’s entry into the party. “Anyone can enter politics, and the general secretary’s son too could enter politics. There is no second opinion over the issue — what is the need to stage a drama?,” he asked.

Contending the party has suffered a series of defeats due to money and a lust for power, Mr. Shanmugam urged Mr. Palaniswami to take everyone along and convene a general council meeting on a convenient date to discuss the reasons behind the string of defeats.

“He should at least convene the executive council, invite all members, and discuss the reasons for the defeat and what action needs to be taken. Why are you hesitant to convene the meeting?,” he asked.

Jayalalithaa and past poll defeats

Differences of opinion are part of democracy, and no one is bigger than “Amma,” (late leader Jayalalithaa) who within two years of a defeat in 1996 secured alliances and achieved a massive victory.

Mr. Shanmugam recalled that former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had inducted those who took contradictory stands into the party and made them Ministers. When the party faced a major defeat in 1996, she accepted responsibility as a leader. But even after a string of defeats, no one is taking responsibility today.

He warned the party leadership not to live in a dream world, protect the party founded by MGR (M.G. Ramachandran), and not destroy it due to ego. “If pushed to an extreme, the dissenters may remain silent for a while but will ultimately be forced to take their own course of action,” he said.