Expelled AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Friday joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Chennai in the presence of party chief and Chief Minister MK Stalin. His son, P Ravindhranath Kumar, also switched sides ahead of the crucial 2026 Assembly elections.
OPS joins DMK amid changing political equations
Panneerselvam, who was expelled from the AIADMK in 2022 after a leadership clash with Edappadi K Palaniswami, recently praised Stalin’s leadership and predicted the DMK’s return to power. His formal induction into the ruling party signals a major shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape ahead of the polls.
Tamil Nadu MLA P Ayyappan, seen as part of OPS’s camp, also backed Stalin in the Assembly. He lauded the state government’s Breakfast Scheme for schoolchildren and said Stalin should once again lead the state after the next election.
Dhinakaran objects, 2026 battle takes shape
However, AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran criticised OPS for invoking the names of late leaders M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa while praising Stalin. He said OPS was free to choose his alliances but objected to linking the DMK’s prospects with AIADMK stalwarts.
With the 234 member Tamil Nadu Assembly set to go to polls in the first half of 2026, the DMK led alliance is preparing to pitch its “Dravidian Model 2.0” against the BJP-AIADMK combine. Actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is also expected to add a new dimension to what could become a three-cornered contest.
Bureau Report
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