Overview
- Former CPI State deputy secretary C. Mahendran formally joined the ruling TVK on June 18, 2026, and said he left because the party champions eradicating corruption.
- CPI officials reminded the public that Mahendran was removed from all party posts at a 2023 State council meeting after allegations that he supported a group trying to take over the New Century Book House.
- Party leaders said there was a proposal to strip Mahendran of primary CPI membership but that he was retained only as an honorary member after the disciplinary process.
- TVK is actively recruiting figures from other parties to broaden its base, and Mahendran’s entry is presented by both sides as part of that wider effort.
- The shift raises questions about political alignment and public trust in Tamil Nadu politics, and it could prompt further scrutiny of past CPI disciplinary findings and TVK’s outreach to former opponents.