Maitreyan quits BJP, returns to AIADMK

V. Maitreyan
| Photo Credit: M. KARUNAKARAN

Former Rajya Sabha Member V. Maitreyan quit the BJP and returned to the AIADMK on Thursday. He joined the regional party in the presence of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

The AIADMK said in a release that Mr. Maitreyan submitted a letter to Mr. Palaniswami, requesting permission to rejoin the party, and the request was favourably considered. Mr. Maitreyan, who was expelled from the AIADMK in 2022, rejoined the BJP in June 2023.

Mr. Maitreyan, who had been with the BJP before 2000, joined the AIADMK. He represented the regional party in the Rajya Sabha thrice when Jayalalithaa was the AIADMK general secretary. After Jayalalithaa’s death, he took former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam’s side and was expelled by the AIADMK leadership for “anti-party activities”.