In yet another setback to the AIADMK, M.R. Vijayabhaskar, who represents the Karur constituency, has resigned. Vijayabhaskar is the sixth MLA from the AIADMK camp to submit his resignation. He is all set to be inducted into Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) very soon.
M.R. Vijayabhaskar is a former Transport Minister—officially walked away and submitted his resignation to the Assembly Speaker, J.C.D. Prabhakar. Vijayabhaskar is the sixth man in an accelerating collapse that spans the AIADMK’s strongholds. He follows a high-profile parade of exits: Maragatham Kumaravel (Maduranthakam), S. Jayakumar (Perundurai), P. Sathyabama (Dharapuram), Esakki Subbiah (Ambasamudram), and the former Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar (Viralimalai).
The resignation of M.R. Vijayabhaskar represents a watershed moment for the AIADMK as it grapples with a systemic crisis of authority in the wake of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Occurring just months into the new legislative term, this departure is not merely a regional setback in Karur but a profound strategic blow to the party’s standing as a primary opposition force. Under the embattled leadership of Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), the AIADMK is witnessing an unprecedented erosion of its legislative caucus, as senior leaders signal a total lack of confidence in the party’s current trajectory.
The AIADMK, once the iron-fisted monolith of Tamil politics, is currently bleeding out in the hallways of power. What began as a trickle of discontent has transformed into a full-scale haemorrhage. Vijayabhaskar’s resignation on Monday acts as a catalyst for a broader autopsy of the party’s standing. This is not just a series of career moves, but a fundamental realignment of the state’s political geography.
This exit of Karur Vijayabhaskar might look like a voluntary migration. But reading deep—it smells of survivalism. Crucially, four of these ex-AIADMK MLAs who had resigned were already facing disqualification proceedings and had recently submitted replies to the Speaker’s notices. By resigning now, these legislators are executing a tactical retreat—a preemptive strike to avoid the ignominy of being ouste d while simultaneously positioning themselves for a second act. “Under Rule 21 of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Assembly, M.R. Vijayabhaskar, MLA representing the Karur Assembly constituency, has personally submitted his handwritten letter of resignation from his office to me. As the resignation letter submitted by him is in order and complies with Rule 22, I hereby accept his resignation,” Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar informed the media.
The Karur assembly seat has long been a strategic bastion in central Tamil Nadu, and M.R. Vijayabhaskar’s resignation removes a veteran cabinet-level voice from the opposition benches. As a former minister with significant experience in state administration, Vijayabhaskar was a cornerstone of the AIADMK’s regional influence, and his departure leaves a substantial void in the party’s central district leadership. Vijayabhaskar’s political career has been marked by resilience and high-stakes competition. After serving in the cabinet of the late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, he faced a difficult 2021 election where he lost the Karur seat to V. Senthil Balaji of the DMK. However, he demonstrated significant personal pull in 2026, reclaiming the seat in a tightly contested battle that highlighted his enduring local relevance. Vijayabhaskar and Senthil Balaji are known rivals in the Karur region.
For the TVK, which lost Karur in the April election, a strong voice and a face is an added advantage in the region. Incidentally, TVK’s Karur district secretary Mathialagan, who is also named in the Karur stampede case, lost this election to Vijayabhaskar. Sources say that the TVK high command had personally spoken to Vijayabhaskar and asked him to join the party. “He had quit only after the TVK leadership spoke with him personally. In fact, the leadership has spoken to at least a dozen of the 21 MLAs who supported Vijay during the floor test in the assembly. Even leaders like S.P. Velumani are weighing options to move to the TVK,” a highly placed source in the AIADMK told The Week.
