NTK Exodus: Is Seeman’s Party Eroding Away?

The Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) has recently been grappling with a wave of resignations from key cadres, and the departure of prominent district secretaries has become a recurring story. Those who have resigned, as well as insiders, point to the autocratic leadership style of the party’s chief coordinator, Seeman, and the absence of internal democracy as the root causes of the ongoing turmoil.

On 4 December 2024, the entire Vaniyambadi NTK cadre has resigned en masse following the departure of their leaders last month, including Secretary Devendran, Vaniyambadi City Secretary Raj Kumar, and City Head Barath. Over 40 members have announced their resignation, citing the party’s autocratic decision-making on political alliances, and a recent meeting with Rajinikanth as reasons for their departure.

Among the notable resignations are Krishnagiri Regional In-charge Karu Prabhakaran, Trichy Regional In-charge Prabhu, Villupuram West District Secretary Boopalan, Villupuram IT Wing Secretary Sudhan Raju, and others. Prior to the parliamentary elections, Chennai district administrator Pugazhenthi Maran, a close associate of the leadership, also stepped down. This followed the removal of Vetrikumaran, who had been with Seeman for many years. The list of resignations continued with the departure of state administrator Raja Ammaiyappan, a key figure in the Kongu region.

Below is a list of some of the recent key resignations:

• On 1 December 2024, over 200 functionaries of the Tirunelveli NTK, including members of the youth wing, resigned from the party, accusing Seeman of favoritism. They alleged that he appointed five members from the same family to key positions, failed to engage with cadres at the grassroots level, and showed a lack of respect for the party’s rank-and-file members.
• On 28 November 2024, Vinoth Kumar, former District Secretary of the Naam Tamilar Party in Namakkal, along with 50 members from the agriculture wing and youth wing, Mohanur city secretary, and the women’s wing, have announced their resignation. They cited differences over party policies as the reason for their departure.
• On 26 November 2024, more than 50 cadres from the Villupuram West district and Vikravandi NTK including Vikravandi Constituency In-charge Farooq, Union Vice President John Kennedy, Youth wing Secretary Vasanth, South Union Deputy Secretary Velu and others joined the AIADMK, led by NTK West District Secretary Boopalan. Previously, Salem Municipal District Secretary Thangam, Veerathamizar Front Municipal District Secretary Vairam, and Mettur City Vice President Jeevanandam Raja have all resigned from the Naam Tamilar Party.
• On 25 November 2024, Salem West District Secretary Jagadish resigned from NTK, citing reason like autocratic decision making without consulting the district secretaries.
• On 22 November 2024, showcasing a mass withdrawal from NTK party, all cadres from the North district, led by Coimbatore North District Secretary Ramachandran, have resigned. During a press conference, he stated that key leaders are stepping down, and others are expected to follow suit.
• On 19 November 2024, Thanga Durai, the secretary of the Selam Metropolitan District, resigned from the NTK party, accusing the party leader of acting like a dictator and stifling the voices of others within the party.
• On 7 November 2024, Ilavanji, NTK’s state coordinator of the Doctor wing resigned. She alleged that the party neglected women’s issues and stated that she did not agree with the current direction the party was taking.
• On 7 November 2024, Tirupathur North District Secretary Devandran, along with 10 other members, has resigned from the NTK party.
• On 1 October 2024, Krishnagiri District Secretary K. Prabhakaran resigned from the NTK party, accusing party leader Seeman of failing to acknowledge their efforts. Despite garnering 20,000 party cadres and securing 1 lakh votes in the Lok Sabha elections, Prabhakaran claimed they were not recognized by Seeman, who makes decisions unilaterally and without consulting them.
• During the Lok Sabha elections in April 2024, several South Chennai district administrators resigned from the NTK party. Among those who stepped down were M. Raja, President of NTK T.Nagar Assembly Constituency, Treasurer M. Murugan, Joint Secretary Kishore Prabhakaran, and Spokesperson Vigneshwaran. They accused Seeman’s wife, Kayalvizhi, of exerting excessive influence within the party.

Critics speculate that this may be part of the ruling DMK’s strategy, especially since the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) recently gained state party status from the Election Commission of India following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This raises suspicions that many of the departing functionaries are either joining the DMK under Senthil Balaji’s Camp or aligning with Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi under Velmurugan’s leadership.

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