Chennai, Oct. 31 -- Rifts within Tamil Nadu's main opposition AIADMK came to the fore on the 118th birthday anniversary of caste leader Muthuramalinga Thevar when political leaders including chief minister MK Stalin and opposition leader Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) and those he expelled came to pay tributes to the Forward Bloc leader at Pasumpon village in Ramanathapuram district on Thursday.

Ahead of the 2026 assembly elections, the leaders sought to pander to the Thevar community who are politically dominant in south Tamil Nadu and have been upset with the AIADMK after three of its leaders from the community O Panneerselvam, TTV Dhinakaran and his aunt VK Sasikala were expelled by EPS, who belongs to the Gounder community, that has stro...