Chennai, Sep 16 : AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami left for New Delhi on Tuesday morning amid the escalating turbulence within the party and shifting political equations in Tamil Nadu.

Palaniswami's sudden trip comes after weeks of internal wrangling. Earlier this month, senior AIADMK leader K.A. Sengottaiyan was stripped of his party responsibilities after issuing a ten-day ultimatum demanding the re-induction of expelled functionaries.

Dissatisfied with the move, Sengottaiyan travelled to Delhi last week and reportedly met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, a development that triggered intense speculation in political circles.

Adding to the volatility, AMMK chief T.T.V. Dhinakaran pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), declaring that he would not accept EPS as the chief ministerial candidate of the bloc.

His exit has dealt another blow to the AIADMK-BJP alliance ahead of the crucial 2026 Assembly elections.

Against this charged backdrop, Palaniswami boarded a flight to Delhi from Chennai this morning, accompanied by senior AIADMK leaders K.P. Munusamy and S.P. Velumani. Officially, the purpose of the visit is to call on newly sworn-in Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan and extend his congratulations. However, sources within the party suggest that EPS is also scheduled to meet Amit Shah and other senior BJP leaders to iron out alliance issues and reaffirm the AIADMK's role within the NDA.

EPS has previously acknowledged the BJP's role in helping stabilise the AIADMK government in the aftermath of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa's death, a factor that adds weight to his Delhi visit.

With the AIADMK struggling to contain factionalism and alliance partners testing the waters ahead of polls, Palaniswami's trip is being closely watched in both Chennai and Delhi.

His meetings could determine whether the AIADMK manages to hold its ground within the NDA or faces further fragmentation at a critical juncture.

For now, the spotlight is firmly on Delhi, where the AIADMK general secretary's engagements may hold the key to the party's immediate political future.

/IANS