Four Chennai Councillors Defect to TVK Ahead of Corporation Meeting
Four Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) councillors representing Manali, Madhavaram, and Valasaravakkam have joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) ahead of an upcoming civic council meeting in Chennai. The defections, which took place earlier this week, have altered the political representation and dynamics within the 200-member council.
The councillors who crossed over to TVK include AIADMK representatives R G Rajesh Sekar of Ward 21 in Manali and E Settu of Ward 24 in Madhavaram. They were joined by AMMK councillor V V Giridharan of Ward 148 in Valasaravakkam, and independent councillor Leo N Sundaram of Ward 198. Sundaram had previously won his seat as an AIADMK candidate, later joined the BJP, and has now moved to TVK.
The four politicians joined the party in the presence of TVK general secretary N Anand. This development follows independent councillor Rajan Barnabas joining TVK in February, bringing the total number of official TVK-supporting councillors in the civic body to five. With support from other defectors and allies, TVK’s strength in the council has risen to around 20 councillors.
The defecting councillors cited internal party issues and strategic disagreements for their exit. Rajesh Sekar stated that he quit the AIADMK because he was disappointed over party leader Edappadi K Palaniswamy allegedly holding talks to form a government with the DMK. Settu stated that the AIADMK had weakened in Chennai and failed to fill key organisational posts in recent years, leaving them without a clear future for public service.
Giridharan, who was the sole AMMK representative in the council, expressed unhappiness over his party’s decision to contest elections with the BJP. He claimed that nearly 3,000 local-level AIADMK and AMMK functionaries from Maduravoyal, Valasaravakkam, and Porur have also shifted their allegiance to TVK.
Following the defections, Deputy Mayor Mahesh Kumar stated that the corporation would consult with the council secretary regarding the initiation of defection proceedings against the AIADMK councillors.
Currently, the DMK holds 153 seats in the GCC council, while the AIADMK's strength stands at 13. Four seats in the 200-member council remain vacant due to the deaths of councillors over the past four years.
