Congress’ three-term Tamil Nadu MLA Vijayadharani quits party, joins BJP ahead of Lok Sabha elections

Ending weeks of speculation, three-time Congress MLA from Tamil Nadu, S Vijayadharani, officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today. The formal induction took place in Delhi, where she joined the party in the presence of Union Minister L Murugan and Arvind Menon, the national secretary of the BJP and the poll in charge for Tamil Nadu.

In expressing her support for the BJP, S Vijayadharani emphasized that her decision is aimed at strengthening Prime Minister Narendra Modi's influence in Tamil Nadu. Hailing from the esteemed family of the late Tamil poet Kavimani Desiga Vinayagam Pillai, she lauded the central government's commendable initiatives. 

Vijayadharani also lamented the alleged lack of implementation of some beneficial schemes in Tamil Nadu, where the DMK, in alliance with the Congress, holds power. She particularly commended the BJP's focus on women and acknowledged the positive developments occurring in the country.

On the social media platform X, S Vijayadharani shared her letter of resignation from the Congress party, announcing her departure from the primary membership and associated positions within the party. "I am resigning from the position of primary membership and related posts held by me in the Congress party," her post read.

S Vijayadharani, the current MLA from Vilavancode, a constituency previously won by the BJP, expressed her dissatisfaction with the Congress party. She reportedly felt neglected as the Congress neither considered her for a parliamentary seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls nor elevated her to the leader of the legislature party.

"Women are not given leadership roles in Congress. Even now, someone who is junior to me has been made the leader of the legislature party. With support from the Union government, now I would be able to fulfill the infrastructure requirements of Kanniyakumari," S Vijayadharani said.

S Vijayadharani's entry into the BJP serves as a boost for the party, especially after the recent setback of AIADMK snapping ties with it. The BJP, which failed to secure any of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu during the 2019 general elections, is looking to strengthen its position in the state. While Vijayadharani's move is significant, observers suggest that her switch may not necessarily shift votes to the BJP, as her victory from the Congress was attributed to its alliance with the DMK.

Vijayadharani, a successful lawyer, has made history by becoming the first sitting MLA to join the BJP. She has been a formidable political force, winning from the Vilavancode assembly constituency in 2011, 2016, and 2021. Prior to her move to the BJP, the 54-year-old leader held significant positions, serving as the general secretary of AICC and chief whip of the Congress Legislative Party in the Assembly.