Former Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam joins DMK in presence of CM Stalin

1 minute learnchennaiUp to date: February 27, 2026 10:38 AM (IST)

In a dramatic political shift, former state chief minister and AIADMK chief O Panneerselvam joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Friday, in accordance with senior sources on each side.

Panneerselvam resigned from his put up as MLA at round 9 am and shortly thereafter met Chief Minister MK Stalin at DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam. Nicely-informed sources near OPS had knowledgeable that Panneerselvam is almost definitely to hitch the DMK in addition to the alliance. “There was no want for him to organize to resign if he wished to hitch the alliance,” the supply stated.

The primary signal of this transfer got here final week when P. Ayyappan, the final MLA seen as loyal to Panneerselvam, overtly praised Stalin on the ground of Parliament. The crossover of Panneerselvam, an AIADMK stalwart who as soon as fought bitterly with the DMK below late J Jayalalithaa, will likely be probably the most notable developments in Tamil Nadu politics in current instances.

Arun Janardhanan is an skilled and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Specific. Based mostly within the state, his reporting combines ground-level entry and long-form readability, offering readers with a nuanced understanding of South Indian politics, judiciary and tradition, and reflecting each the depth of his experience and enduring authority. Experience Geographic focus: Simply as our correspondent in Tamil Nadu targeted on politics, crime, religion and battle, Mr. Janardhanan has additionally reported extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long physique of labor on elections, governance and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings via in-depth articles and interviews. Key protection areas: State politics and governance: Detailed protection of the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of recent political actors resembling actor Vijay’s TVK, defections throughout the social gathering, tensions between centrist states and the position of governors, and many others. Authorized and Judicial Affairs: Constant protection of the Madras Excessive Courtroom, together with disputes associated to faith and circumstances involving state energy and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive sequence on landmark circumstances and unresolved points such because the Tirupati encounter and the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, in addition to a number of investigation sequence in Tamil Nadu. Tradition, Society and Disaster: From cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies, we report on cultural teams, language debates and catastrophe protection, with native particulars. His reporting received the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Past journalism, Janardhanan can be a screenwriter. His Malayalam characteristic movie Aarkkariyam was launched in 2021. … learn extra