Celebrating its 55th anniversary, the A.D.M.K. has lost both of the sitting constituencies to T.V.K. in the by-election. Following this, reports that dissidents within the party are once again holding consultations against A.D.M.K. general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami have been causing a stir.
In this situation, we put our questions to Legislative A.D.M.K. whip Agri Krishnamurthy....
"What was the reason for A.D.M.K.'s defeat in the by-election?"
"We do not see this as a defeat. Because democracy has been defeated by money power. The ruling party, which kept proclaiming, 'We are the pure force; we will never do anything wrong,' has won this election only by showering money on voters.
Despite all the pressures of money power, military power, official power, ruling power, manpower, and ministerial power, we have secured the votes that belong to our party without losing a single one.
However, TVK has achieved this temporary victory only with the support of various alliance parties such as VCK, IUML, Congress, MDMK, and TMC, as well as with the backing of the ruling authority."
"If the strength of alliance parties was the reason for TVK’s victory, was the reason for AIADMK’s defeat the PMK stepping away from the alliance?"
"We did not participate in this by-election; PMK has said that it is taking a neutral stance. In this situation, I do not want to comment on what they did on the ground!"
"But Anbumani Ramadoss is saying that 'AIADMK should introspect about its defeat,' isn’t he?"
"Our general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami will always make decisions in the interest of the party and for the welfare of the cadres. No matter how many trials or setbacks come his way, he will never back down from the decision he has made. Likewise, he will never make decisions for his own personal gain. In this situation, Anbumani has advised us to 'do some self-examination.'
Until just a few months ago, when the issues between Dr. Ramadoss and Anbumani were continuing, it was our general secretary who gave Anbumani the appropriate advice. During that difficult period, we brought him into our alliance and stood by him by giving him a Rajya Sabha seat and seats for 17 assembly constituencies. Even today, we respect him."
" 'Wasn’t the betrayal committed by Anbumani in the name of neutrality what caused a huge loss to the AIADMK?' says Dr. Krishnasamy?"
"That is Anbumani Ramadoss’s decision. We cannot comment on that. At the same time, the AIADMK is a party that always gives due respect to alliance partners."
"The decisions taken by Edappadi Palaniswami are continuously sowing the seeds of AIADMK’s defeat, aren’t they? Even those within the party are becoming dissatisfied, right?"
"Victory and defeat are natural in politics. In Tamil Nadu, the people had given the AIADMK the opportunity to work as the opposition through the 2026 Assembly election. When our general secretary was waiting to work after accepting that decision, a few people in the party took certain decisions against it. Our general secretary pointed out that it was wrong. But they did not listen."
Following this, the general secretary announced that “action will be taken under the anti-defection law against those who betrayed the party.” However, after that, the concerned individuals themselves asked to be forgiven, and the general secretary, with a big heart, forgave them and also provided proper protection so that their positions would not be affected. This is the truth of what happened."
"Do you completely reject the allegation made by dissidents that Edappadi Palaniswami makes decisions in the party in an authoritarian manner?"
"Before taking a decision, Edappadi Palaniswami convenes a meeting of district secretaries and headquarters administrators, listens to everyone’s views, and announces decisions based on those views.
"Edappadi Palaniswami firmly takes decisions in the interest of the party. However, since those decisions do not align with the expectations of a few people in the party, the concerned individuals express their dissatisfaction. But the party workers and administrators are fully accepting the general secretary’s decisions and are working in unity.
Some people in the party may have ambitions for office; they may want to become ministers. Our general secretary does not want the party’s interests to be sacrificed for that!"
"If Edappadi is making decisions in the interest of the party, why is he avoiding only the demand that those who left the A.I.A.D.M.K. should be brought back into the party?"
"Edappadi Palaniswami has been consistently saying that if anyone joins the party accepting the leadership of the party’s general secretary, he is ready to welcome them and work with them.
"Even those who had made mistakes and left the party were brought back into the party and embraced by our General Secretary in such a way that they were given various responsibilities like organizational secretary and deputy general secretary, and were made to lead protests and public meetings themselves!"
"Then why the hesitation to include V.K. Sasikala and T.T.V. Dhinakaran in the AIADMK?"
"T.T.V. Dhinakaran has already been serving as the general secretary of the A.M.M.K. He is still in our alliance. Even when answering questions like this, T.T.V. Dhinakaran says, 'The A.D.M.K. and we are together, aren’t we? There is no problem between us.'"
Once upon a time, those who demanded that 'T.T.V. Dhinakaran should be expelled from the party' are now the ones raising questions about this from within the party itself. We will not call them dissidents or opponents. They are expressing their wishes. At the same time, in the interest of the party, our general secretary alone will decide 'who should be brought into the party.'
"After Jayalalithaa's demise, after Edappadi Palaniswami took over the leadership, it is true that the A.I.A.D.M.K. has been facing a series of defeats, isn't it?"
"No... this is a conspiracy to deliberately spread such a notion. When M.G.R. was Chief Minister, the DMK suffered defeats in all three consecutive Assembly elections in 1977, 1980, and 1984. It was only in 1989 that the DMK came to power again. But in 1991, the AIADMK returned to power. At that time, the DMK won only two seats. The same DMK came back to power again in 1996.
So, if a party like the DMK, after facing so many defeats, can come to power, then the AIADMK can also come to power!"
"Even in the constituencies it had already won in the 2026 Assembly election (Dharapuram, Madurantakam), hasn’t the AIADMK now being pushed down to third place a major setback for the party?"
"Money power has defeated democracy. Even when Jayalalithaa was leading the party, in the 1996 Assembly election the AIADMK won only 4 seats. Even in the Pennagaram by-election, we lost our deposit. But that same Jayalalithaa, with the strength of the cadres, worked hard and came back as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, didn’t she!"
So, on the same basis, in all the elections to come—by-elections, local body elections, parliamentary elections, and assembly elections—AIADMK, under the leadership of Edappadi Palaniswami, will achieve a huge victory."
"You say the reason is that democracy has been overtaken by money power. But in both constituencies, Dharapuram and Madurantakam, hasn’t the DMK secured second place?"
"The truth is that money power has defeated democracy. So the DMK too may have adopted the same approach and secured this position!"
"At a time when the AIADMK is celebrating its 55th anniversary, hasn’t the by-election defeat once again created an anti-leadership sentiment within the party?"
"Not at all... In every constituency, AIADMK has a permanent 26% vote share. In this situation, despite the ruling party’s various tempting promises and false assurances, we have secured our 26% vote share in this by-election.
The TVK leader Vijay himself has achieved a temporary, illusory victory by arriving in a helicopter, driving a tractor, and showcasing various feats such as plucking drumsticks and lemons. Therefore, there is nothing within the party that reflects any anti-general secretary sentiment!"
"What strategy has the AIADMK devised for victory in the by-elections to the 5 constituencies that are coming up next?"
"For the AIADMK’s victory, our general secretary will take some important steps. He will formulate political strategies. Accordingly, the AIADMK will definitely win!"
"Will action be taken against people like C.V. Shanmugam and S.P. Velumani, who did not carry out party work in the recently concluded by-election?"
"Everyone worked for the party. No opinion such as 'no one worked' has been expressed anywhere. So, we do not know of anyone having worked against the party. What you heard is not true either!"
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