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Stalin Welcomes OPS to DMK with "Open Arms," Calls Him "Dear Brother"

DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has formally welcomed former chief minister O. Panneerselvam into the party, calling him a "dear brother." Stalin framed the 2026 Assembly election as a democratic battle between Tamil Nadu and the "fascist BJP." Panneerselvam, who was expelled from the AIADMK in 2022, stated he joined the DMK to end his "bitter experience" and accused his former rival Edappadi K. Palaniswami of behaving like a dictator. The move also saw Panneerselvam's son, P Ravindhranath Kumar, join the DMK ahead of the state polls.

Key Points: O Panneerselvam Joins DMK, Welcomed by CM Stalin

  • OPS joins DMK ahead of 2026 polls
  • Stalin calls 2026 a battle vs "fascist BJP"
  • OPS was expelled from AIADMK in 2022
  • OPS cites "bitter experience" with AIADMK
  • His son P Ravindhranath Kumar also joins DMK
2 min read

"I welcome him with open arms," DMK Chief Stalin calls Panneerselvam 'Dear Brother'

Expelled AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam joins DMK. CM M.K. Stalin welcomes him, calling the 2026 polls a battle against "fascist BJP."

"I welcome him with open arms. - M.K. Stalin"

Chennai, February 27

DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin welcomed former CM and expelled AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam into the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, calling him a "dear brother" and praising his humility and virtues.

"Former Chief Minister and dear brother Thiru. O. Panneerselvam has joined the mother organisation, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. I welcome him with open arms. He, who bears the name of the great leader of the Dravidian movement, has joined our great movement to safeguard the Dravidian movement's ideology," he posted on X.

Stalin said the 2026 Assembly election is a democratic battle against the BJP, and various democratic forces are joining the DMK alliance. He described former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam as a humble and virtuous leader.

"The 2026 Assembly election is a democratic battle between Tamil Nadu and the fascist BJP. It is with this realization that various democratic forces are joining the DMK alliance. Our brother who has joined us, Thiru. O. Panneerselvam, is a loving person, a virtuous person, a humble person! May his arrival be for the welfare! May Tamil Nadu triumph!," Stalin added.

Earlier, Panneerselvam on joined Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) in the presence of party chief and CM MK Stalin in Chennai. Along with OPS, his son P Ravindhranath Kumar also joined DMK ahead of the forthcoming Tamil Nadu polls. This comes after Panneerselvam's praise for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his prediction regarding the return of the DMK government in the state.

O Panneerselvam was expelled from the AIADMK after a leadership tussle with Edappadi K Palaniswami back in 2022. OPS emphasised that he had joined DMK to put a full stop to his "bitter experience".

"The decision I've taken is my own, to put a fullstop to the bitter experience for me. I thank CM and DMK President Stalin for accepting me to join DMK. I have joined DMK with full joy. EPS is behaving as a dictator and he has created a situation where AIADMK cannot get victory hereafter," Panneerselvam told media persons.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Stalin Anna calling him "dear brother" after all these years of rivalry! 🤝 Politics makes for strange bedfellows. If this unity strengthens the state's voice against central overreach, it might be a good move. But voters are watching if this is genuine or just opportunism.
R
Rahul R
As a neutral observer from North India, this is fascinating. The DMK is clearly building a grand alliance for the state elections. The real question is whether such ideological mergers dilute the party's core Dravidian principles for the sake of electoral math.
M
Meera T
OPS was the loyal lieutenant who stood by Amma's grave. His journey from there to joining DMK is a political drama no one predicted! His grassroots connect in certain regions could be a plus for DMK. Hope this leads to stable governance and not more internal friction.
D
David E
While political consolidation is normal, the language used is very interesting – "fascist BJP", "democratic battle". The framing is sharply polarizing. In a healthy democracy, the debate should be on policies and development, not just ideological warfare.
K
Karthik V
EPS must be feeling the heat now! AIADMK is completely splintered. This move by OPS might attract more disgruntled leaders from the AIADMK camp. The 2026 election is shaping up to be a direct DMK vs BJP fight, with AIADMK struggling for relevance. 🧐

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