Another setback for AIADMK as M.R. Vijayabhaskar resigns as MLA in Tamil Nadu

In another setback to the AIADMK, the party’s MLA and former Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar resigned his membership to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday (June 29, 2026). Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar has accepted his resignation.

Mr. Vijayabhaskar was elected from Karur constituency in the 2026 Assembly election. Mr. Vijayabhaskar submitted his resignation in person to the Speaker in his chamber.

As the request for resignation was in order, the resignation was accepted by the Speaker, an official release said. Mr. Vijayabhaskar is the sixth legislator from the AIADMK to resign his post as MLA.

With the resignation of Mr. Vijayabhaskar, seven seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly do not have members.

Already, five AIADMK MLAs — Maragatham Kumaravel (Maduranthakam), S. Jayakumar (Perundurai), P. Sathyabama (Dharapuram), Esakki Subaya (Ambasamudram) and former Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar (Viralimalai) — had resigned. Four of them except Vijayabaskar later joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Besides, the Tiruchi East seat was vacated by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, who retained the Perambur constituency.

Mr. Vijayabhaskar had narrowly won the Karur seat in the 2026 polls with a margin of 1,821 votes.