Worsening EPS-Sengottaiyan cold war hurts AIADMK’s poll prospects

CHENNAI: The ongoing cold war between AIADMK senior leader KA Sengottaiyan and party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has intensified and spells trouble for the party ahead of the election year.

While Palaniswami has adeptly marshalled his resources to maintain unity within the ranks, emerging as the undisputed leader of the party since he ended the dual leadership of the party in June 2022, his approach has alienated a few key veterans within the party.

The tension between Sengottaiyan and Palaniswami, both from the western region, was starkly displayed in front of the full media glare during the budget session on Friday. Sengottaiyan skipped the party MLAs’ meeting, and reluctantly joined the AIADMK protest against the DMK government over the Tasmac ‘scam.’ Palaniswami downplayed Sengottaiyan’s meeting with Speaker M Appavu on Saturday, stating that AIADMK is a democratic movement and the functionaries can meet anyone, unlike their arch-rival DMK, but his reaction failed to garner support.

Sengottaiyan’s remarks made later in the day at a private event, where he referred to how he has chosen “righteous path for greater significance” and made comments “he will never fail” only added fuel to the fire. Though he is not considered a rebellious leader, his non-cooperative stance has sent a wrong message to the party’s functionaries. There is growing concern that continued infighting among the top leadership could lead to political disaster for a party that has ruled the State for over three decades.

Party sources suggest that Sengottaiyan’s actions are a deliberate attempt to express his discontent with Palaniswami’s autocratic approach. They opined that if such conflicts continue, it will not bode well for the party. “As the party chief, he should have avoided making unnecessary statements against senior-most leaders like Sengottaiyan, who became an MLA in 1977 itself,” said a district treasurer, referring to Palaniswami’s dismissive response to journalists’ questions about the Sengottaiyan-Speaker Appavu meeting.

The late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, known for her strong leadership and ability to accommodate critics such as RM Veerappan, K Kalimuthu, and B Valarmathi, was always respectful of senior leaders, he said, adding that, “Palaniswami should respect senior leaders and be persuasive rather than resorting to autocratic style of functioning.”

Party sources revealed that efforts to calm Sengottaiyan have failed, as he remains steadfast in his non-cooperative approach.

Political analyst Priyan Srinivasan commented that Sengottaiyan’s actions are a sign of his frustration with Palaniswami, who he feels has failed to accord him the “due respect and importance” in the party’s decision-making process. "If Palaniswami fails to resolve this issue, it will further tarnish the party's image among its supporters. It will have a lasting impact and hurt Palaniswami more than anyone as the 2026 poll is a do-or-die election for him and his leadership," he said.