Tamil Nadu Today: AIADMK’s Vellamandi Natarajan joins TVK

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Vellamandi Natarajan with TVK general secretary and Minister N. Anand | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Vellamandi Natarajan, who served as the Tourism Minister during the AIADMK regime, has joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in the presence of N. Anand, general secretary of the party.

Mr. Natarajan won the Tiruchi East Assembly constituency in 2016. When the party split after the demise of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, he had sided with O. Panneerselvam. However, with Mr. Panneerselvam joining the DMK before the 2026 Assembly election, Mr. Natarajan accepted the leadership of Edappadi K. Palaniswami and rejoined the AIADMK.

The rights of the State were of utmost importance and in no condition would those be compromised, Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister P. Viswanathan.

Responding to a controversy stoked by his statement that the new government need not follow the policies of the previous government, particularly with regard to the Chief Minister serving as the Chancellor of universities, Mr. Viswanathan said: “Our stand is very clear. The rights of the State are of utmost importance. As an MLA, as a Minister, and as a citizen of Tamil Nadu, I can assertively state that we will not compromise on this. We are protecting the rights of every citizen of Tamil Nadu and I am aware of this responsibility.”

The AIADMK remains united and our sole aim is to bring the party back to power, said former Minister and AIADMK Thondamuthur MLA S.P. Velumani.

Speaking to the media in Coimbatore, he said the party is his breath and that the party’s general secretary is Edappadi K. Palaniswami. He also criticised the media and YouTube channels for creating the impression that a section of MLAs led by him and C.Ve. Shanmugam had supported the TVK for power.