In a significant political development in Tamil Nadu, veteran AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan resigned as the MLA of Gobichettipalayam assembly constituency on Wednesday and met actor-turned-politician Vijay in Chennai, reportedly in preparation to join the TVK party, sources close to the matter said.

Sengottaiyan, aged 77, has been a nine-term legislator and a longstanding member of the AIADMK since its founding by MG Ramachandran (MGR) in 1972. His resignation marks a major shift, given his decades-long association with the party. The seasoned politician personally submitted his resignation letter to Assembly Speaker M Appavu at the Secretariat, formally stepping down from his legislative position.

When asked about his imminent move to TVK, Sengottaiyan remained reserved, telling reporters, “Please wait for a day.” He also reflected on his decades of service to the party: “I’ve worked in the party for 50 years through its ups and downs. And I’m nobody in the party now. You must know my pain. I can’t speak more now.”

Sengottaiyan’s ouster from AIADMK came earlier this year when Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS), the party general secretary and opposition leader, removed him from all party positions. This followed Sengottaiyan’s meetings with the expelled AIADMK trio — OPS, TTV Dhinakaran, and V K Sasikala — and his public push to unite all AIADMK factions. EPS justified the action, stating that Sengottaiyan had gone against party policies and principles by engaging with the expelled leaders.

Hailing from the dominant Gounder community in western Tamil Nadu, Sengottaiyan enjoys considerable support in his region. According to TVK sources, several of his local supporters, including members who resigned after his removal from party posts, are likely to follow him to TVK.

Sengottaiyan is the second legislator in the Tamil Nadu assembly to resign ahead of next year’s assembly elections to join another party. Earlier, expelled AIADMK leader Manoj Pandian, a loyalist of O Panneerselvam (OPS), resigned to join the ruling DMK.

In September, Sengottaiyan had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, calling for the reintegration of expelled AIADMK leaders and advocating for a merger of all party factions. Despite remaining a member of the AIADMK after losing his positions, EPS’s subsequent sacking of Sengottaiyan highlighted internal fractures and strategic differences within the party as it prepares for upcoming elections.

Sengottaiyan’s move to TVK is expected to have ripple effects in the Erode district and neighboring regions, potentially altering political equations and voter alignments in western Tamil Nadu. With the assembly elections months away, his resignation signals a broader trend of realignment among veteran leaders seeking platforms that align with their political vision.

The coming days are likely to reveal more about TVK’s strategy in integrating Sengottaiyan and his supporters, as well as the party’s potential impact on AIADMK’s vote base in key constituencies ahead of the polls.