Former AIADMK minister Semmalai joins TVK with his supporters

Former minister and seasoned AIADMK leader S Semmalai formally joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) alongside a host of his supporters at party chief C Joseph Vijay’s rally at Dharapuram on Wednesday.

The rally was held to drum up support for TVK’s bypoll candidate and ex-AIADMK leader P Sathyabama.

Hailing from Salem district, considered as one an AIADMK stronghold, he served as a minister in the late J Jayalalithaa led-cabinet elected in 2001. After emerging victorious as an independent candidate in 1984 Taramangalam assembly, he later joined AIADMK in 1984. He was not given a ticket in the 2026 assembly polls.

Semmalai had indictated to reporters of his plans to join the TVK in May.

“After the demise of the former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, opportunities to contest in the polls were denied to me in the AIADMK. Presently, given the rift in the AIADMK, my conscience no longer allows me to continue travelling with the party. I, therefore, have taken very difficult decision to resign from the AIADMK” he had said.

The by-poll in Dharapuram (SC) and Madurantakam (SC) constituencies has been necessitated following the resignation of P Sathyabama and Maragatham Kumaravel, respectively.

The two former AIADMK lawmakers were renominated by the TVK government for the by-elections on October 6.