In a major political setback for the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, three of its MLAs K. Maragatham Kumaravel, S. Jayakumar and P. Sathyabama, resigned from the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday and submitted their resignation letters to Speaker J. C. D. Prabhakar at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat. The MLAs represent Madurantakam, Perundurai and Dharapuram, respectively, and their resignations are being seen as another sign of growing instability inside the party.
According to reports, the three legislators are expected to join the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, the party led by Vijay, after meeting TVK senior leader and Minister Aadhav Arjuna immediately after submitting their resignations. The move comes amid an already widening split inside AIADMK over its political line and future strategy in the state.
The resignations have reduced AIADMK’s strength in the Assembly from 47 to 44, if accepted by the Speaker after verification as required under Assembly rules. The resignations were submitted in person, and the Speaker will now examine whether they comply with the formal procedure before taking a decision.
If the resignations are accepted, the three constituencies will fall vacant and the Election Commission of India will announce by-elections for those seats. Reports also indicate that a bypoll is already expected for Tiruchi East, which means the number of Assembly constituencies heading for fresh votes could rise further.
The development comes at a sensitive time for AIADMK, which has been dealing with internal factional pressure and repeated demands from a section of leaders to align more closely with TVK. The latest exit of three MLAs adds to the perception that the party’s rebel camp is gaining ground while the leadership struggles to hold its bloc together.