AIADMK Faces Decline in Puducherry Amid Leader Exodus and Limited NDA Seat Share

Puducherry: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which once held the distinction of capturing power in Puducherry even before forming a government in Tamil Nadu, now appears to be grappling with a steady erosion of its political base in the Union Territory.

After breaking away from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), M. G. Ramachandran founded the AIADMK in 1972. Remarkably, in 1974—prior to forming a government in Tamil Nadu—the AIADMK, in alliance with the Indian National Congress, came to power in Puducherry, with Ramasamy assuming office as Chief Minister. However, lacking a majority, the government collapsed within 21 days, leading to President’s Rule.

In the 1977 Assembly elections, the AIADMK returned to power, and Ramasamy served as Chief Minister for a year. From then on, the party established itself as a key political force in Puducherry. In 2011, the AIADMK entered into an alliance with the All India N.R. Congress (NR Congress), contesting 10 seats and winning five.

At the time, the party expected representation in the Cabinet. However, with 15 seats in hand, N. Rangasamy strategically excluded the AIADMK from the government, drawing sharp criticism from J. Jayalalithaa. In the subsequent election, the AIADMK contested all 30 constituencies independently but managed to secure only four seats.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, the AIADMK contested five seats as part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which included Rangasamy, but failed to win any. Blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the defeat—mirroring its stance in Tamil Nadu—the Puducherry unit of the AIADMK chose to go solo in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, only to be pushed to third place. The party has since returned to the NDA fold.

Amid these developments, the AIADMK’s independent strength in Puducherry appears to be diminishing. Several prominent leaders—including former MLAs Asana from Karaikal, Bhaskar (brother of State Secretary Anbazhagan), Periyasamy, and Om Sakthi Sekar—have exited the party and joined outfits such as the BJP, DMK, and others.

Adding to the setbacks, former state deputy secretary Vaiyapuri Manikandan from Muthialpet recently joined the NR Congress. The steady exit of key figures has contributed to the perception that the AIADMK is steadily shrinking in Puducherry.

Even as State Secretary Anbazhagan had indicated that the party would seek up to seven सीटs in the NDA alliance this time, the BJP has allocated only two constituencies to the AIADMK, triggering discontent among party workers.

Voicing their concerns, party cadres said, “AIADMK was once a ruling party in Puducherry and played a crucial role in enabling the NR Congress to capture power for the first time. In the NDA alliance, a relatively new party has been allotted two seats, and our traditional party has been given the same. How is this justified?”

They further expressed disappointment that several aspirants, including former MLAs who had worked extensively for the party, were denied tickets.

At the same time, cadres pointed to the continuing exodus of former MLAs and leaders, stating that internal factionalism has weakened the organisation. “Groupism within the party is a major factor. Leaders pulling in different directions have hurt the party. Being allotted only Uppalam and Urulayanpet constituencies has come as a shock,” they said, reflecting the growing unease within the ranks.