In a significant political development in Tamil Nadu, former Chief Minister and senior AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam (OPS) formally joined the DMK in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, in Chennai.
Panneerselvam, who had been expelled from the AIADMK amid an intense internal power struggle, had subsequently launched the AIADMK Volunteers’ Rights Recovery Committee and began functioning independently. Despite several attempts to re-enter the AIADMK fold, his efforts were firmly rejected by party General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), who publicly clarified that there was no possibility of Panneerselvam being readmitted into the party.
Over the past year, however, political observers had noted a gradual thaw in relations between Panneerselvam and the DMK leadership. On July 31 last year, during a padayatra, Panneerselvam met Chief Minister Stalin and later visited his residence the same evening to enquire about his well-being.
The meeting sparked speculation about a potential political realignment. Subsequently, on the final day of the recent interim Budget session on February 20, Panneerselvam again met the Chief Minister, further fueling rumours of an impending shift. Putting an end to weeks of speculation, Panneerselvam arrived at Anna Arivalayam along with his supporters and formally enrolled himself as a member of the DMK.
Chief Minister Stalin welcomed him into the party in what is being viewed as a major realignment in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Panneerselvam, a three-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (2001-2002, 2014-2015, and 2016-2017), and long-time confidant of late AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa, has played a pivotal role in state politics for over two decades.
His entry into the DMK is likely to have ripple effects within the AIADMK and could influence caste and regional equations, particularly in the southern districts where he enjoys considerable support. Political analysts say the move signals a strategic consolidation by the ruling DMK, while marking a dramatic chapter in the evolving power dynamics of Tamil Nadu politics.