Veteran K.A. Sengottaiyan Jumps to Vijay’ TVK Ahead of 2026 Polls

New Delhi, November 27, 2025: In a stunning move that has reshaped the political landscape in Tamil Nadu just months before the 2026 Assembly elections, veteran politician K.A. Sengottaiyan has officially joined actor Vijay’s fledgling party, the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

Sengottaiyan, a nine-time MLA and former minister, ended his five-decade-long association with the AIADMK a day earlier by resigning his Gobichettipalayam Assembly seat. His induction into TVK on Thursday marks the party’s first major acquisition of a seasoned political leader and is seen as a significant boost to the new outfit.

A New Chapter for a Political Stalwart

The 77-year-old leader, known for his long-standing loyalty to AIADMK founders M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and J. Jayalalithaa, formally joined the TVK in the presence of its founder, actor Vijay. Sengottaiyan was immediately appointed the Organisation Secretary for four key western districts: Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruppur, and the Nilgiris. This region, known as Kongu Nadu, is where the veteran leader retains considerable personal influence and a local vote bank.

In a video message welcoming the former minister, Vijay praised his experience: “At just 20, he joined MGR’s movement and became a legislator at a young age, earning the trust of MGR and Amma (Jayalalithaa). After 50 years, his political experience and fieldwork will be a great strength to our Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam.”

The End of an Era in AIADMK

Sengottaiyan’s departure follows months of public friction with AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS). He had been increasingly sidelined and was recently expelled after publicly urging EPS to readmit other expelled leaders, including O. Panneerselvam, T.T.V. Dhinakaran, and V.K. Sasikala, warning that a failure to unify the party would lead to electoral disaster.

Addressing the media, Sengottaiyan expressed his conviction that the people of Tamil Nadu were looking for a “new, clean, and sacred government” as an alternative to both the ruling DMK and the AIADMK. He stated his belief that the people would ensure Vijay’s victory in the 2026 elections through a major revolution.

Impact on Tamil Nadu Politics

• Boost for TVK: The induction provides the TVK, a party currently built on the charisma of Vijay and a youth fan base, with much-needed political maturity and on-ground organizational expertise. It gives the party a veteran face and potentially a second ‘assured’ seat in the 2026 Assembly polls, besides Vijay’s own expected debut.
• Hardening AIADMK Relations: This move effectively closes the door on any speculation of a potential TVK-AIADMK alliance, a scenario that had worried the ruling DMK. By joining a direct competitor, Sengottaiyan signals a firm break from the AIADMK leadership.
• A Symbol of Generational Change: Political observers view this as a symbolic “generational handshake,” where a leader rooted in the Dravidian organizational politics of MGR and Jayalalithaa joins hands with Tamil Nadu’s newest political brand built on cinema and digital outreach. It suggests that the disaffected old guard of the AIADMK may seek new relevance in the state’s emerging political structure.

The entry of K.A. Sengottaiyan has injected a new element of competition and experience into TVK, setting the stage for a highly dynamic and unpredictable contest for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.