Former Minister Thoppu Venkatachalam Resigns From DMK Over Internal Feud

Former Tamil Nadu Minister and former DMK Erode Central District Secretary Thoppu ND Venkatachalam announced his resignation from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Monday, citing bitter experiences during the last Assembly election that made it impossible for him to continue with the party.

Speaking to reporters in Erode, Venkatachalam clarified that he was stepping down from all party positions, including his primary membership, but rejected claims that he was retiring from active politics.

Venkatachalam stated that internal disputes had crossed acceptable limits within the organisation. He noted that while intra-party feuds exist across political parties, they should remain within boundaries, adding that internal conflict in certain setups had grown beyond control.

During the previous Assembly election, Venkatachalam contested the Perundurai constituency on a DMK ticket and suffered a narrow defeat. Following the loss, his supporters alleged that internal friction involving former Minister and DMK Erode South District Secretary S Muthusamy contributed to the outcome. Venkatachalam was subsequently relieved of his responsibilities as the DMK Erode Central District Secretary.

Addressing speculation regarding the upcoming Perundurai by-election, Venkatachalam stated he has not made a decision to contest but would consider it if the public felt his services were needed. He also dismissed immediate plans to join rival political outfits, including the AIADMK or the BJP, while leaving his future options open.

The Perundurai seat fell vacant after sitting AIADMK MLA Jayakumar resigned to join the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. However, the Madras High Court has extended an interim stay on notifying by-elections across five Tamil Nadu constituencies—Perundurai, Trichy East, Viralimalai, Ambasamudram, and Karur—until September 8, following submissions from the Election Commission regarding pending election petitions.