The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) faced a visible split as its newly elected legislators attended the oath-taking ceremony for the 17th Tamil Nadu legislative assembly on Monday in two separate groups. Traditionally, AIADMK MLAs enter the assembly as a united front, but this time, one group was led by former chief minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami, while the other was led by CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani. This division comes after AIADMK secured 47 seats in the 234-member assembly, significantly trailing behind the Tamil Maanila Congress (TVK), which won 108 seats and has formed the government with support from other parties. Reports indicate that some AIADMK members are considering aligning with TVK, reflecting dissatisfaction with Palaniswami's leadership. While some party leaders downplay the division, calling for unity and dialogue, the internal conflict raises concerns about the party's future following a series of electoral setbacks, including losses in the 2019 and 2021 elections and the 2025 Erode by-election.