AIADMK shifts over 25 MLAs to Puducherry resort as TN numbers game intensifies

More than 25 AIADMK MLAs were moved to resorts in neighboring Puducherry recently as fears of poaching and uncertainty over government formation triggered fresh resort politics in Tamil Nadu.

Sources said senior AIADMK leader and Rajya Sabha MP CV Shanmugam, a close aide of party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami, booked over 20 rooms at The Shore Trishvam resort, with arrangements expected to continue till Sunday or Monday. The legislators have reportedly been split across multiple properties as part of the accommodation strategy.

Among the AIADMK MLAs said to be staying at the resort are Balakrishna Reddy, Jayasudha, AP Jayasankaran, SM Sukumar, OS Manian, Velu, S Jayakumar, Karuppannan, former minister Vijayabaskar and S Sekhar.

Other legislators reportedly moved to Puducherry include Venkatachalam, Maragatham, Rajasekhar, Ramachandran, Mani, Palaniswamy, Mohan, Rajendran and Thalavai N Sundaram.

The move comes amid intense political manoeuvring after Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats, still short of the 118 seats required to form the government.

Sources indicated that a section of AIADMK MLAs could be open to backing the TVK, adding to concerns within the party leadership over possible defections.

In a dramatic twist, the DMK is also learnt to have opened backchannel discussions with its long-time rival AIADMK. While AIADMK sources confirmed talks, there is no clarity yet on whether the discussions could translate into a formal arrangement. The DMK currently has 59 seats, while the AIADMK holds 47, making any alliance arithmetic politically significant.

Earlier on Thursday, Vijay met Governor Rajendra Arlekar to stake claim to form the government. However, he was reportedly asked to return with proof of support from 118 MLAs. Sources said the TVK currently has the backing of 112 legislators, including the Congress and its five MLAs, but remains short of the majority mark.

The TVK is also believed to have paused talks with the AIADMK after finalizing its understanding with the Congress, though negotiations with smaller parties are continuing.

The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a key DMK ally, has cancelled its scheduled May 8 meeting, further fuelling speculation over shifting political equations. Left parties allied with the DMK are expected to decide on May 9 whether to extend support to the TVK.

Amid the high-stakes battle for numbers, the TVK too has shifted its MLAs to resorts in Mamallapuram to prevent cross-voting or defections.

With rival camps scrambling for support, legislators being herded into resorts and alliance talks continuing behind closed doors, Tamil Nadu’s race for government formation remains wide open.