OPS backtracks on new party plan, fuels fresh speculation on AIADMK merger

Chennai, Dec 6 In a significant political reversal, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS) denied ever announcing the launch of a new political party - a notable departure from his earlier indications of forming an independent outfit.

The shift comes immediately after he visits Delhi and has a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, reigniting speculation about a possible rapprochement with the AIADMK leadership.

Party sources said Panneerselvam's softened position follows assurances from senior BJP leaders, and discussions are likely to begin soon to facilitate his return to the AIADMK.

Sources indicate that a resolution enabling this could be taken up during the party's general council meeting scheduled for December 10, pointing to a potential recalibration of the opposition party's leadership dynamics.

OPS' political journey has been defined by sharp turns and dramatic breaks. Once the loyal stand-in for late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa during her legal challenges, Panneerselvam emerged as a rebel in 2017 when he accused V.K. Sasikala of attempting to seize control of the AIADMK.

Although he briefly shared power with Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) in a dual-leadership structure, the alliance frayed over time, culminating in his expulsion from the party in 2022. Since then, OPS has been heading the AIADMK Workers' Rights Retrieval Committee and had hinted at forming a new political party - a position he has now backtracked on.

The latest developments have also cooled the short-lived camaraderie that OPS shared with TTV Dhinakaran and senior leader K.A. Sengottaiyan following their meeting at the Devar Jayanthi celebrations in Pasumpon in October. Their separate visits to the Jayalalithaa memorial in Chennai this week further signalled distancing among the factions.

Meanwhile, Dhinakaran reaffirmed that his Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) would not ally with the NDA as long as EPS remained the coalition’s chief ministerial candidate.

Sasikala, once vocal about the need to reunite AIADMK factions, appeared more guarded this time. She merely commented that Sengottaiyan should not have rushed to join Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and refrained from repeating her earlier calls for unity.

With OPS, Dhinakaran and Sasikala yet to arrive at a collective strategy, political observers say prospects for any immediate consolidation within the AIADMK remain uncertain, even as the countdown to the 2026 Assembly elections intensifies.

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