Veteran leader O, expelled from All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Panneerselvam took membership of the party in the presence of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin. While going to DMK headquarters, Jayalalitha’s picture was seen in his car. At one time he was one of the leaders closest to J Jayalalitha. Was a minister in his government.
O. Panneerselvam has been the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. In the year 2022, he was expelled by AIADMK due to anti-party activities. He contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate but did not win. Now it is believed that he has joined DMK to save his politics.
In the last few months, he had met Stalin several times and current AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Expressed displeasure against Palaniswami. O. Panneerselvam’s supporters also joined him in DMK. Some MLAs had already resigned and made their place in DMK.
Also read: Congress is demanding stake in the government in Tamil Nadu, will it accept one Rajya Sabha seat?
What will DMK get from Panneerselvam’s arrival?
O Panneerselvam belongs to the Mukkulathor community. It is part of the Thevar community. It is a strong community in southern Tamil Nadu. Now DMK can benefit from his coming together. This community has OBC status in Tamil Nadu.
Now what next?
O Panneerselvam had said that the DMK could retain power and had also spoken to Amit Shah that a strong DMK alliance would win. This move may weaken AIADMK. He held many important positions in the party during the time of Jayalalitha. DMK seems to be in a stronger position with his arrival.
Also read: Strong impact of SIR, 74 lakh voters decreased before elections in Tamil Nadu
Who is Panneerselvam?
Neerselvam has held senior positions like treasurer and party coordinator of AIADMK. He joined DMK along with his son P Ravindranath Kumar and supporters. Panneerselvam served in the DMK-led government in 2006. He was also the leader of the opposition.
What happens to AIADMK leaders who join DMK?
- S. Muthusamy: At one time, he was among Jayalalitha’s most trusted leaders. He left the party over differences with AIADMK and became the Minister of Housing and Urban Development in the DMK government. He has been a 9-time MLA. In the year 1977, he contested his first election from AIADM. He was a minister in the MGR government and then in the Jayalalithaa government. In the year 2010, he decided to join DMK. Presently he is a minister in the Stalin government.
- EV Value: He is the Public Works Minister in the Stalin government. He is an AIADMK leader. He has been handling this department since 2021. He has been the Food Minister in the M Karunanidhi government. His political career started from the year 1984. In 1997 he joined DMK. Remains in a strong position in the party.
- Anita R Radhakrishnan: Politics started from the year 2001. He contested elections for the first time in 2001 from Truchendra Assembly. He remained in DMK till 2006, then contested elections from DMK in the years 2009, 2011, 2016. In 2001, DMK gave him the responsibility of Urban Development Ministry. There was a rift, he joined DMK. Currently handling the Animal Ministry.
- R. Rajakannappan: Contested elections for the first time from AIADMK in the year 1991. He also got the ministry in 1991. He formed the Makkal Tamil Desam (MTD) party. In 2001, he contested the elections in alliance with DMK. By 2006 he also joined. In 2009, when there was another rift, he left DMK and joined AIADMK. Left the party in 2019, joined DMK. Now he is handling Khadi and Forest Ministry in Stalin government.
- Thoppu ND Venkatachalam: He is a well-known leader and former minister of Tamil Nadu. He was earlier in the AIADMK party and was elected MLA from Perundurai Assembly seat twice in 2011 and 2016. At that time he was also the Environment and Revenue Minister in the Jayalalithaa government. AIADMK did not give him ticket in the 2021 assembly elections. He contested the elections as an independent candidate but was expelled by the party. Then in July 2021, he joined DMK. Now he is with DMK and playing an active role in the party. |
Also read: Is there a split in Tamil Nadu ‘India Bloc’? DMK said many people want to become leaders
What are the difficulties of defection on the ground?
Only those rebel leaders of AIADMK get a place in DMK, whose caste equations are strict. These leaders have strong caste politics. With their arrival DMK gets strong public support. Parties are generally not able to take the risk of rejecting their tickets. Even if one does not get a strong position in the organization, one gets representation.
In Tamil Nadu politics, the party never gave that much importance to the leaders who came to DMK from AIADMK. They do not get much of a role in the initial elections. Lack of trust is also seen at the local level. Many times they get the ticket but if their vote is not transferred then they also get defeated.
The core voters of AIADMK and old supporters of Jayalalitha consider DMK as the opposition party. From 1970 till now, many AIADMK leaders went to DMK but their stature did not increase again. He got a place in the government but his stature in the party was not as effective as that of the original leaders of DMK.
Comments are closed.