- O Panneerselvam has joined the DMK while VK Sasikala has floated her own party
- Sasikala has intensified her criticism, branding EPS a "betrayer"
- OPS described EPS as "arrogant and autocratic"
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is staring at renewed challenges with two close aides of late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa stepping up attacks on party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), at a time when the party is struggling to revive its political fortunes after three consecutive electoral defeats.
Days after Jayalalithaa's confidante VK Sasikala announced the launch of a new party and unveiled its flag, declaring she would field candidates in the upcoming elections, another major setback followed. O Panneerselvam (OPS), long regarded as Jayalalithaa's trusted lieutenant and twice appointed by her as stand-in chief minister during her disqualification in corruption cases, has joined the rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
In a sharp attack on EPS, O Panneerselvam described him as "arrogant and autocratic", while praising DMK president MK Stalin for what he termed "good governance, an inclusive approach and tailor-made schemes benefiting all sections, including women." Notably, after Jayalalithaa's death in 2016, OPS was once again sworn in as chief minister, underscoring the trust she had reposed in him.
Sasikala, too, has intensified her criticism, branding EPS a "betrayer". It was she who had helped elevate EPS to the chief minister's post after Jayalalithaa's death, unseating OPS. However, while Sasikala was serving a prison sentence, EPS and OPS joined forces, instituting a dual leadership model in both the government and the party.
The truce collapsed after the 2021 Assembly polls - the party's third straight defeat - when EPS expelled OPS and consolidated control by becoming the party's general secretary. The exit of Sasikala, OPS, and TTV Dhinakaran, all influential leaders from the powerful Thevar community, is widely seen as having weakened the AIADMK's base in southern Tamil Nadu.
While EPS has reportedly warmed to the idea of Dhinakaran's return to the NDA fold, he has shown little inclination to readmit Sasikala or OPS, both of whom are viewed as potential challengers for the party's top post.
The AIADMK, however, has dismissed any major impact of OPS joining the DMK. Party MP C Ve Shanmugam said, "The exit of OPS is like Diwali, an occasion to celebrate."
With the 2026 Assembly elections looming, the battle for control within the AIADMK could prove decisive. An unfavourable verdict may not only weaken EPS's grip but also risk further fragmentation - potentially opening a dominant space for its ally the BJP and altering the state's political balance.
