Months after walking out of the NDA, TTV Dhinakaran-led AMMK on Wednesday returned to the AIADMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu.
Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) founder-leader Dhinakaran was also formally readmitted to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) along with senior BJP leader and Union minister Piyush Goyal.
AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami welcomed Dhinakaran.
The PMK faction led by Dr Anbumani Ramadoss joined the NDA in poll-bound Tamil Nadu on January 7.
In a post on social media, Palaniswami welcomed Dhinakaran, saying that he has joined the NDA to uproot the DMK’s tyrannical rule, end its dynastic politics and once again ensure the golden rule of Amma (J Jayalalitha).
“The NDA aims to root out the DMK’s “dictatorial rule” and end dynastic politics in the state,” Planiswamy said. He welcomed AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran, who formally re-entered the NDA on Wednesday.
He said, “To root out the tyrannical rule of the DMK and its corrupt forces, put an end to dynastic politics and re-establish the golden era of the rule of respected revolutionary leader Amma in Tamil Nadu, I warmly welcome Shri Dhinakaran, General Secretary of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, who has joined the National Democratic Alliance today, and extend my warmest wishes to him. With public welfare as our only goal, let us all come together to save the people from this crisis.” and liberate Tamil Nadu from the clutches of DMK’s dynasticism.”
Responding to a question, Dhinakaran hit back at reporters who had asked who had been declared as the NDA’s chief ministerial candidate, to which he said it was Palaniswami.
After this he asked the journalists why they were repeatedly asking him questions on this issue.
Dhinakaran resigned from the NDA in September 2025, citing “betrayal” as the reason, though he did not name anyone.
Former MP and his aunt V.K. Sasikala, who was the son of late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, was expelled from the AIADMK in 2017 when Palaniswami became its co-coordinator and O. Panneerselvam was the coordinator. Incidentally, Panneerselvam was also expelled by the party’s general council in 2022.
