Just a day after his removal from the AIADMK for allegedly ‘contradicting the party’s principles and objectives,’ senior leader and Gobichettipalayam MLA K.A. Sengottaiyan spoke out on Saturday, November 1, 2025. He declared that Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s tenure as general secretary is ‘temporary’ and stated his own expulsion was ‘unjustified.’
Sengottaiyan, who has served the party for 53 years, described his removal as ‘painful and unfair,’ asserting that it was an autocratic decision made without proper explanation and in violation of party rules.
‘I intend to remain a member of the AIADMK, and I will be filing a legal challenge regarding this matter,’ he informed reporters at his farmhouse in Kullampalayam. The press conference had been relocated from the party office in Gobichettipalayam.
Reflecting on his extensive history with the AIADMK since 1972, Sengottaiyan highlighted his unwavering loyalty to the party and its iconic leaders, M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa, which led to him holding several ministerial positions. ‘Following Amma’s passing, I worked to prevent the movement from splitting and twice sacrificed leadership opportunities for the sake of unity,’ he stated. He criticized the party’s continuous electoral defeats under Palaniswami’s leadership since 2019.
‘During M.G.R.’s era, we never faced defeats. When Jayalalithaa experienced a loss, she worked diligently to achieve victory again. A movement supported by millions of cadres can only succeed through unity,’ he emphasized.
Sengottaiyan revealed that he had initially recommended Palaniswami for the Chief Minister’s post after Jayalalithaa’s death and had consistently advocated for party unity. ‘If we face another defeat in 2026, who will take accountability? My call was simply to initiate unity discussions within ten days; it was not an ultimatum,’ he clarified.
He also dismissed Palaniswami’s accusation that he was collaborating with the DMK, countering, ‘He [Palaniswami] is the primary accused in the Kodanad heist and murder case,’ referring to the 2017 incident at Jayalalithaa’s estate, which involved the murder of a security guard.
Citing M.G.R.’s 1975 directive that the general secretary must be elected by party members, Sengottaiyan maintained that he was merely voicing the sentiments of the party’s workers. ‘Even my expulsion did not follow the proper procedure. I will legally contest it,’ he reaffirmed.