Former AIADMK Leader Panneerselvam joins DMK

Chennai, Feb 27: Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam (OPS) joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin today ahead of the upcoming 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

A three-time Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and a longstanding aide of J Jayalalithaa, Panneerselvam was expelled from the AIADMK in 2022 following an intense power struggle with Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS).

Earlier on Tuesday, Panneerselvam had offered to quit politics if his mistakes were proven.

Without naming AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, the former CM criticised the recent amendments to the party by-laws for the selection of the General Secretary, a framework established by party founder M G Ramachandran.

Addressing reporters here, he said, “When the Revolutionary Leader (M G Ramachandran) launched this party and codified these rules in writing, who are you to change it? I have raised this question, and the matter is now in the Court.” Recalling that he was instructed by the AIADMK leadership not to use the party flag or wear the party dhoti, Panneerselvam said, “I have been a legislator. I have been a CM. I have also been a coordinator of the party. What mistake did I commit? Have I ever raised a hand against a worker? If you can simply tell me what mistake I have made, I will leave politics.” After paying floral tributes to the portrait of AIADMK supremo and late CM J Jayalalithaa on the occasion of her 78th birth anniversary, Panneerselvam ruled out floating any political outfit.

Tamil Nadu’s 234-member Assembly is scheduled to go to the polls in the first half of 2026, where the Stalin-led alliance is expected to campaign on its “Dravidian Model 2.0” platform. The ruling coalition will face the BJP-AIADMK alliance, which is attempting to revive its base after internal splits.

The election landscape is further set to shift with the political entry of actor-turned-politician Vijay, whose newly launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is poised to turn the contest into a triangular fight.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, the DMK secured 133 seats, while its allies collectively pushed the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) tally to 159 seats. The NDA bloc won 75 seats, with the AIADMK emerging as its strongest component with 66 seats.