Even as the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government is only a few months into office, an internal power struggle between senior party functionaries and recently inducted members has erupted in Trichy, creating a fresh headache for the party leadership.
The dispute, centred around claims of seniority, organisational authority and the use of party designations, has now escalated to the police station, exposing growing tensions within the party at the district level.
According to party sources, the conflict pits long-time Vijay fans’ club functionaries who claim to have spent nearly two decades building the movement against newcomers who recently joined TVK from other political parties and have allegedly begun projecting themselves as office-bearers through banners and flex boards.
The latest flashpoint occurred in Malaikottai, which falls under the Trichy East Assembly constituency, where a consultation meeting was organised ahead of TVK president and Chief Minister Vijay’s birthday celebrations. The meeting was convened by Balu, a recent entrant to the party who had joined TVK after leaving the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK).
Several new faces who had recently crossed over from parties such as the AIADMK and AMMK reportedly attended the gathering.
The event is said to have angered a section of TVK’s old guard, particularly those who had been associated with Vijay’s fans’ clubs long before the formation of the party.
According to a complaint filed by Balu’s camp, a group of senior TVK functionaries, including Nirmal and Satheesh, visited his residence later that night. Balu alleged that the group arrived in an intoxicated state, spoke to him in a threatening manner and insisted that newcomers should function under the directions of long-time party loyalists.
The complaint further alleged that the visitors issued death threats and warned of serious consequences if Balu continued to act independently.
Video footage of the alleged confrontation, reportedly captured on CCTV cameras installed at the residence, has since surfaced on social media and is being widely circulated.
Following the incident, Balu mobilised more than a hundred supporters and staged a protest outside the Fort Police Station, demanding legal action against those allegedly involved in the threats.
Members of Balu’s family also claimed that the visitors had threatened both him and his wife. According to statements made to the media, the group repeatedly demanded Balu’s phone number and allegedly threatened to stab and kill him for acting against them within the party.
Balu, who belongs to a Scheduled Tribe community, said he had entered politics with the hope of serving the public and not to become part of factional politics. He urged the police to take appropriate action against those responsible.
Meanwhile, the accused senior TVK functionaries have categorically denied the allegations.
Nirmal, Satheesh and their supporters maintained that they had spent more than 20 years working for Vijay, beginning with the fans’ club movement and continuing through the formation of TVK. They said they welcomed Balu and other newcomers into the party but objected to what they described as the unauthorised use of party positions.
According to the senior functionaries, the dispute arose after Balu allegedly erected flex boards identifying himself as Malaikottai Area Secretary and a district-level office-bearer despite no such appointment having been officially announced by the party leadership.
They claimed that their visit to Balu’s residence was solely to question the use of these designations and to seek clarification regarding the flex boards.
The senior leaders further stated that they had chosen to visit Balu at night because he generally returned home only after 10 p.m. They denied issuing any threats and insisted that they merely advised him to work in coordination with existing party functionaries.
The group accused Balu of deliberately filing a false complaint in an attempt to damage their reputation within the party.
As both sides trade allegations, the Fort Police have initiated an inquiry into the matter and are examining the CCTV footage and complaints submitted by the rival camps.
The episode has exposed growing tensions between TVK’s original cadre base and recent political entrants, with concerns emerging within the party over authority, recognition and future leadership positions.
With Chief Minister Vijay’s birthday celebrations approaching and the party still in the early stages of consolidating its organisation, the public factional clash in Trichy has raised uncomfortable questions about discipline within the ruling party. Several party workers privately admit that if district-level leadership disputes are escalating into police complaints now, future battles over organisational posts and election ticket distribution could prove even more contentious.
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