Dr. C. Vijaybaskar, a former health minister and MLA for Viralimlai, resigned from the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
The departure of a high-profile member underscores a widening internal split within the AIADMK. This instability follows the party's poor performance in recent assembly elections, which has led to factional fighting at the grassroots level across the state.
Vijaybaskar submitted his formal resignation to Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar at the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat in Chennai [1]. His exit follows a trend of instability within the party ranks as members have reportedly begun arriving at the assembly in separate camps [2].
With this resignation, the AIADMK's strength in the 234-member Assembly has fallen to 43 MLAs [3]. The loss of members threatens the party's influence in the legislature and reflects a broader struggle for leadership, and direction after electoral setbacks.
Observers said that the rift is no longer confined to the top leadership. The factional disputes have reached various districts, creating a volatile environment for the party's organizational structure [4].
Vijaybaskar's decision to step down is the latest blow to the party's stability. The resignation of a former minister suggests that the internal disagreements are significant enough to push senior leadership away from their legislative roles [1].
“The AIADMK's strength in the 234-member Assembly has fallen to 43 MLAs.”
The resignation of Dr. C. Vijaybaskar indicates that the AIADMK is facing a crisis of cohesion. By dropping to 43 members in the assembly, the party's ability to act as a potent legislative opposition is diminished. This fragmentation suggests that the party may be heading toward a formal split, as the inability to reconcile internal factions after electoral failure often leads to the creation of breakaway parties in the Tamil Nadu political landscape.
