Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, widely known as OPS, joined the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Friday in a major political development ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. His move is being seen as a significant shift in Tamil Nadu politics and could affect the AIADMK’s traditional support base, especially in the southern districts.

OPS, who had a long association with the late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, was formally inducted into the DMK by Chief Minister MK Stalin at the party headquarters in Chennai. Several senior ministers were present during the event. Sources indicated that OPS is likely to contest the upcoming Assembly elections from the Bodi Mettu constituency in Theni district, which is considered his home turf.

His entry into the DMK followed a series of discussions between him and the party leadership. The final round of talks reportedly took place earlier in the day, before his induction and was facilitated by Minister PK Sekar Babu.

Political observers believe that the DMK sees OPS’s inclusion as a strategic decision to strengthen its position in southern Tamil Nadu, particularly in the Thevar-dominated belt where Panneerselvam continues to hold influence. On the other hand, the development is expected to weaken the AIADMK, as it could divide its traditional Thevar vote base and attract unhappy party workers, especially from the southern region.

Speaking to the media after joining the DMK, OPS strongly criticised AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS). He said, “EPS’s arrogance and high-handed use of political power have created a situation where the AIADMK can never win polls. He is running the party in a dictatorial manner, and the AIADMK is heading towards doom. Chief Minister MK Stalin has provided good governance, and the state has been witnessing this.” His remarks made it clear that his differences with EPS remain deep and unresolved.

OPS served as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu three times and was once considered a loyalist of J Jayalalithaa. However, after her death in 2016, a serious power struggle broke out within the AIADMK. His rivalry with EPS led to a major split in the party. Over time, OPS lost control over the party organisation and its political influence reduced significantly.

After being sidelined and later expelled from the AIADMK following a prolonged internal fight, he tried to maintain his political identity independently. He launched campaigns under the banner of the AIADMK Workers Retrieval Organisation and presented himself as the true political heir of Jayalalithaa. Despite these efforts, his faction did not gain strong public or electoral support.

In recent months, OPS had shown interest in rejoining the AIADMK before the 2026 Assembly elections. He had even referred to EPS as his “elder brother” in a sign of possible reconciliation. However, EPS clearly rejected any such possibility and stated that there was “absolutely no chance” of allowing him back into the party.

According to sources in the DMK, OPS was also unhappy with the BJP. He reportedly felt that the BJP did not make serious efforts to convince Palaniswami to include him in the alliance and that the party did not provide him with meaningful support in any other way.

Before officially joining the DMK, OPS had hinted at a political shift through his public comments. He had recently said that the DMK had a strong chance of retaining power in the 2026 Assembly elections and forming the government for a second consecutive term. He had also met Chief Minister MK Stalin several times over the past few months. In July last year, the OPS faction had already decided to exit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), indicating growing distance from the alliance.

The BJP reacted sharply to OPS’s move but tried to downplay its impact. BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan criticised his decision and said it would not affect the NDA. She stated, “He was dejected. We had anticipated this move. OPS joining a diametrically opposite party is the most ungrateful act I have seen. People will not accept this. It reflects the pathetic situation of the DMK. Why was he sidelined?” She further added, “This is still unacceptable. It shows that they were with the AIADMK only for power and not out of loyalty. Will this be a big blow to the NDA, especially among the Mukulathor community? That will not happen. There will be no impact on the NDA. OPS’s ungrateful move will be etched in history.”

Tamil Nadu is scheduled to go to polls before May this year, and OPS’s decision to join the DMK has added a new dimension to the political contest in the state.