O. Panneerselvam joins DMK; says ‘happy to be part of Thai Kazhagam’

In a seismic realignment of the Tamil Nadu political landscape just a few months ahead of the State Legislative Assembly elections, O. Panneerselvam, three-time former Chief Minister and a staunch loyalist former AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa, joined the DMK in the presence of party president and Chief Minister M.K Stalin on Friday (February 27, 2026).

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Mr. Pannerselvam, incumbent AIADMK MLA from Bodinayakkanur, along with his supporters, including Usilampatti MLA P. Ayyappan, arrived at Anna Arivalayam, the DMK headquarters on Friday morning, and was received by DMK Ministers. Later, he filled the DMK membership form to officially join the party.

‘Stalin has delivered growth’

“It gives me immense happiness that I have joined the ‘Thaai Kazhagam’ (parent party), the DMK, founded by Perarignar Anna [former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai],” Mr. Pannerselvam while addressing the media.

He thanked Mr. Stalin by referring to him as ‘Thalapathy’. “In the path and political culture of embracing everyone shown by Anna [C.N. Annadurai] and Kalaignar [M. Karunanidhi], Thalapathy is leading the party and the government,” he said.

Even as he arrived at the DMK headquarters to join the party, OPS still carried a photograph of Jayalalithaa in his car, reflecting his continued reverence for the leader

“The entire country is closely watching the leadership of Mr. Stalin. He has set the grammar for how to run a political party. Over the last five years, Mr. Stalin, as Chief Minister, has delivered growth across all sectors and has been providing an efficient and commendable administration to the people of Tamil Nadu,” he further said.

He added that AIADMK general secretary Edappadi. K. Palaniswami was “conducting himself in politics like an autocrat, with an arrogant approach.”

“Mr. Palaniswami has created a situation in which the AIADMK may never be able to achieve success in politics. After Amma’s [Jayalalithaa] death, lakhs of AIADMK cadre joined the DMK under Thalapathi’s [Mr. Stalin] leadership,” Mr. Panneerselvam said.

Signs of a shift

On February 20, the final sitting of the 16th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Mr. Pannerselvam had called on Mr. Stalin on the premises of the House and said that the ruling DMK had a chance of retaining power.

On the same day, Mr. Ayyappan openly praised Mr. Stalin on the floor of the House and said with the blessings of ‘Puratchi Thalaivar’ MGR and ‘Puratchi Thalaivi’ Amma” – referring to former Chief Ministers M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa – Mr. Stalin would win the upcoming Assembly elections and return to power. His remarks drew loud applause from members of the DMK-led alliance.

Mr. Panneerselvam and his supporters were expelled from the AIADMK in July 2022. He unsuccessfully contested the Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha seat as an Independent candidate backed by the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Last year, after exiting the NDA, Mr. Pannneerselvam had met Mr. Stalin twice within a span of 24 hours, sparking speculations of him joining the DMK. Later, he also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.

Mr. Panneerselvam, who had also served as Deputy Chief Minister in the Mr. Palaniswami-led AIADMK government from 2017 to 2021, was the fourth AIADMK legislator to switch sides in recent times.

Earlier, former School Education Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan, who represented Gobichettipalayam in the Assembly, resigned from his MLA post to join actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).