In a significant political move, AMMK general secretary T T V Dhinakaran rejoined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Wednesday. The announcement was made after a meeting between Dhinakaran and Union Minister Piyush Goyal in Chennai. The AMMK party has expressed its support for forming “good governance” in Tamil Nadu.
Dhinakaran’s decision to rejoin the NDA comes after a period of significant political tension, during which he publicly labeled AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami as a “traitor.” However, Dhinakaran has now described any disputes with Palaniswami as a “dispute between allies” and emphasized that the move is driven by a larger objective of not harming either the party’s prospects or Tamil Nadu’s interests.
Dhinakaran asserted that AMMK cadres, who are followers of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, would unite as one team to help bring back “Amma’s rule,” people’s rule, and good governance in the state. Piyush Goyal, upon receiving Dhinakaran’s party’s support, expressed his delight at the AMMK leader’s return to the NDA family.
The decision of TTV Dhinakaran to rejoin the NDA marks a significant political climbdown from his earlier stance. It remains to be seen how this move will impact the party’s relationship with its existing voter base, particularly among the Thevar community in southern Tamil Nadu, who are reportedly worried that the decision could erode the AMMK’s “organic anti-EPS vote base.”
