Chennai: In another setback for the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, former Tamil Nadu minister Vellamandi Natarajan on Thursday joined Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
Natarajan joined the party in the presence of TVK general secretary N. Anand.
His exit comes shortly after four AIADMK MLAs reportedly switched allegiance to TVK, adding to the mounting political pressure on the party ahead of the Assembly elections.
A prominent leader from Tiruchy, Natarajan was elected MLA from the Tiruchy East constituency in 2016 and later served as Tourism Minister in the government led by former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.
Speaking after joining TVK, Natarajan alleged that the AIADMK had weakened due to internal conflicts and repeated electoral setbacks following Jayalalithaa’s death.
The latest development is being seen as a significant political gain for TVK as it continues to expand its presence in Tamil Nadu politics.
