The former chief minister was accompanied by party deputy general secretary KP Munusamy, headquarters secretary SP Velumani and MPs.
Earlier, AIADMK leaders visited newly elected Vice President CP Radhakrishnan in Delhi and congratulated him on his victory. Their meeting lasted nearly an hour and a half, a senior party official said.
Immediately after the departure of the AIADMK leaders, BJP national president JP Nadda visited Radhakrishnan.
Radhakrishnan’s elevation to the post of vice-president was a matter of great pride for Tamil Nadu, Palaniswami said.
“I congratulated him on his victory and wished him success in his service to the people as Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha,” Palaniswami said in a message on ‘X’. His visit comes amid speculation that the party’s crisis, including calls by some leaders to bring all those expelled into the AIADMK fold, forced him to meet BJP leaders.
A senior party leader said the AIADMK rank and file strongly supported Palaniswami whom they had elected as general secretary.
“Those who are fighting for factional merger may have repercussions, but they do not seem to have any intention of accepting Palaniswami as the chief ministerial candidate for the 2026 Assembly elections,” the senior leader said.
A few days ago, state BJP chief Nainar Nagendran had said that what Palaniswami said about the AIADMK was important.
Stating that the AIADMK is with Palaniswami, Nagendran said the BJP has accepted the AIADMK general secretary as its CM candidate.
“I am ready to negotiate with former chief minister O Panneerselvam and AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran and bring them back to the NDA,” he had told reporters.
An AIADMK source said Palaniswami would likely inform Shah that he had already consolidated his position in the party and that “certain voices” speaking in favor of unity would only derail the party’s prospects in the elections, if readmitted.
Before leaving Chennai, Palaniswami broke his silence on the merger and said those who vandalized the AIADMK headquarters, considered a “temple” by partymen, had no place in the AIADMK.
While addressing a meeting organized by the AIADMK on the occasion of former chief minister CN Annadurai’s birth anniversary on September 15, Palaniswami dismissed speculation that his visit to Delhi was to discuss the AIADMK’s internal issue.
