Out of AIADMK's 47 seats, 31 'alms' given by PMK: C Ve Shanmugam

Business To Business, Chennai, 14^th June, 2026:    Senior C. Ve. Shanmugam on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Edappadi K. Palaniswami, intensifying signs of internal dissent within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
Shanmugam claimed that the party's electoral success in northern Tamil Nadu was not due to its own strength but was largely dependent on allies, particularly the Pattali Makkal Katchi. He reportedly described the seats won by the AIADMK in the region as "alms given by the PMK," questioning the party leadership's claims of independent political influence.
The former minister accused Palaniswami of steering the AIADMK toward an "autocratic" style of functioning. According to Shanmugam, decision-making within the party has increasingly been shaped by personal ambitions, family influence, and financial considerations rather than collective leadership and party interests.
The criticism comes after a series of electoral setbacks for the AIADMK and is being viewed as one of the strongest public challenges to Palaniswami's leadership from within the party ranks. Shanmugam had earlier been associated with a dissident group of AIADMK legislators, along with S. P. Velumani, before differences within the party were temporarily resolved.
The latest remarks could signal renewed factional tensions in the AIADMK as it prepares for future electoral contests in Tamil Nadu, where the party is seeking to rebuild its political position after recent defeats.