The churn within AIADMK is still continuing more than a month after the assembly election results came out. And now Viralimalai MLA C. Vijayabaskar has become that fifth legislator to resign, reducing the AIADMK's strength in the Tamil Nadu assembly to 42.

The other four MLAs from the AIADMK who quit earlier had joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). These include Dharapuram MLA Sathya Bama, Ambasamudram MLA Isakki Subaya, Madurantakam MLA Maragadham Kumaravel and Perundurai MLA S. Jayakumar. It remains to be seen if Vijayabaskar, who was health minister in the AIADMK government from 2013 to 2021, will also join CM C. Joseph Vijay's party.

Earlier on Tuesday, Vijayabaskar slammed the AIADMK leadership, without directly mentioning Edappadi K. Palaniswami. "Leadership is neither power nor arrogance. It is an affectionate embrace filled with dedication. A leadership that cannot win the hearts of its hardworking cadres, how will it ever win the hearts of the people??" he said in a social media post.

Later, Vijayabaskar submitted his resignation to assembly speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar on Tuesday at the Secretariat. An official release by the speaker stated: "In accordance with Rule 21 of the legislative assembly rules, the member of the legislative assembly for the Viralimalai constituency Dr C Vijayabaskar has submitted his resignation letter to me in person."

“As the resignation letter submitted by him is in due order in accordance with Rule 22 of the legislative assembly rules, I hereby accept it,” Prabhakar said.

The cracks within AIADMK came to the fore a month ago when 25 lawmakers led by Thondamuthur MLA S.P. Velumani and Mailam MLA C.Ve. Shanmugam backed the TVK during the floor test. Though most of the rebels, including Velumani have patched up with the AIADMK leadership and Palaniswami, others like Shanmugam are reportedly on the fence.

On Saturday, more than 300 AIADMK members officially joined the TVK at the party headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai, after they said they could not serve the public properly under Palaniswami.

Notable leaders who joined the TVK include former ministers Vellamandi Natarajan and Anandan, former Mylapore MLA Natraj, former Paramakudi MLA Sadhan Prabhakar, Anna Trade Union Federation state secretary Kamalakkannan and Tirupathur City Secretary D.T. Kumar.

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