Theni, Tamil Nadu: Former chief minister of Tamil Nadu and ex-AIADMK coordinator Ottakarathevar Panneerselvam on Thursday expressed his desire to rejoin the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), while emphasising the importance of maintaining unity within the party for guaranteed success in the 2026 legislative assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference at his farmhouse in Kailasapatti near Periyakulam, Theni district, Panneerselvam reiterated his willingness, along with VK Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran, to rejoin the AIADMK without any preconditions. "We are ready to join AIADMK without any conditions. Only by working together can the party hope to succeed in the upcoming legislative assembly elections," he stated.
Panneerselvam also said he is in favour of inclusion of AIADMK in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), stating that it would benefit all parties involved.
Highlighting the contributions of AIADMK founders MG Ramachandran (MGR) and J Jayalalithaa, Panneerselvam said they dedicated five decades to building and nurturing the party. According to party norms, the General Secretary should be elected through a formal election process, a regulation that cannot be altered or annulled. However, Edappadi K Palaniswami amended this rule, leading to legal challenges. "The authority vested in the court is the same as that of the Election Commission," Panneerselvam remarked.
On the Athikadavu-Avinashi project, Panneerselvam clarified that it was implemented by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa using state funds after delay in central funding. He mentioned his collaboration with SP Velumani in organising several conferences related to the project and suggested that Velumani is the appropriate person to answer further questions on this matter.
When asked about Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai's political trajectory, Panneerselvam responded saying, "It remains to be seen which direction he takes in his political journey."
Regarding allegations about the purchase of Panchami land, Panneerselvam explained that in 2022, he had purchased ancestral land from one Subburaj in Allinagaram, Theni. Upon discovering in 2024 that the land was classified as Panchami land, he promptly returned it to the original owner.
Background On Expulsions From AIADMK
VK Sasikala was appointed as the acting General Secretary of the AIADMK on December 31, 2016, following the demise of J Jayalalithaa. However, on September 12, 2017, the AIADMK General Council expelled Sasikala from the party and nullified her appointment as General Secretary. The council also declared Jayalalithaa as the eternal General Secretary of the party.
Panneerselvam faced expulsion from the AIADMK on July 11, 2022, due to alleged anti-party activities amid a leadership tussle with Edappadi K Palaniswami. Subsequent legal battles cropped up, with the Madras High Court initially ruling his expulsion as invalid on August 17, 2022. However, a division bench of the same court later upheld the decisions of the AIADMK General Council on September 2, 2022, effectively affirming Panneerselvam's expulsion. The Supreme Court further upheld this decision on February 23, 2023.
