Former AIADMK Minister P. Benjamin Joins DMK with Supporters
Former AIADMK minister P. Benjamin officially joined the DMK on Wednesday at the party's Chennai headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, in the presence of DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin. Benjamin, who served as a minister under both J. Jayalalithaa and Edappadi K. Palaniswami and previously as Deputy Mayor of Chennai Corporation, was defeated in the 2026 Assembly election and subsequently stripped of his AIADMK district secretary post. His defection continues a significant wave of senior AIADMK leaders leaving the party, further weakening the principal opposition in Tamil Nadu.
P. Benjamin, a long-serving AIADMK leader who held ministerial portfolios including School Education and Rural Industries, formally joined the DMK on Wednesday alongside several party office-bearers, including Tiruvallur Central Party District Women's Wing secretary Yamini Ilayaraja and district students' wing secretary Dinesh. The event was held at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai, with senior DMK leaders TR Baalu, A. Raja, and RS Bharathi also in attendance. Benjamin stated he joined the DMK with the aim of continuing to serve the public. His exit follows a broader pattern of defections: former AIADMK ministers MC Sampath, NR Sivapathi, Kadambur C. Raju, and Udumalai K. Radhakrishnan recently joined the ruling TVK, while former MLA VNP Venkatraman also joined the DMK. The AIADMK has been grappling with internal dissent, including reported rebellion from a section of MLAs who voted in favour of the TVK regime, compounding the organisational strain on party chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami. MK Stalin welcomed Benjamin's joining, referring to the DMK as the 'mother organisation' founded by Anna.
What's missing
The articles do not clarify whether Benjamin's joining of the DMK rather than the TVK — unlike several other recent AIADMK defectors — reflects a strategic distinction between the two ruling-alliance parties or personal preference, nor do they detail any conditions or positions offered to him within the DMK.
What different sources said
- Times of IndiaCenter
AIADMK setback continues: P Benjamin joins DMK along with his supporters in Chennai
- The HinduCenter
Former AIADMK Minister P. Benjamin joins DMK
- NDTVCenter
Ex AIADMK Minister P Benjamin, Supporters Join DMK
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