OPS supporter joins DMK; launches a frontal attack against AIADMK, EPS

Kovai K Selvaraj, a former MLA who was an ardent supporter of expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, on Wednesday joined the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) after meeting party president and Chief Minister M K Stalin.

Selvaraj, who was expelled from AIADMK along with OPS and others, had last week announced that he was severing ties with Panneerselvam as well. On Wednesday, he met Stalin along with Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji and formally joined the DMK.

Several leaders who once owed allegiance to rebel AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran joined the DMK after the 2021 elections and political observers say Selvaraj might be the first among many OPS supporters to seek refuge in the ruling party.

Also Read — OPS calls for “unity” among AIADMK factions; EPS says no reproachment

The development comes as a surprise as Selvaraj was one of the very few people to have sided with OPS when he was expelled by the July 11 General Council which appointed Edappadi K Palaniswami as the interim general secretary. Selvaraj also defended OPS on television debates during the crisis, but the lack of support base for the former chief minister might have forced the ex-MLA to dump him and join the DMK.

Selvaraj told reporters that he couldn’t continue with the AIADMK (read OPS) after the release of the Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission report which recommended an inquiry against V K Sasikala, and three others in connection with the death of J Jayalalithaa.

“I felt like leaving the AIADMK because the party is deviating from its principles. It has become a corporate company today,” Selvaraj said, and launched a blistering attack on EPS, saying he has “no rights” to criticise Stalin’s functioning as Chief Minister.

“Stalin was elected by the people, while EPS attained the post of CM through the backdoor. The DMK government is pro-people,” he said.

The AIADMK plunged into a crisis in 2016 following Jayalalithaa’s death on December 5. The party split into two after OPS rebelled against V K Sasikala in February 2017 but after she was jailed in a disproportionate assets (DA) case, OPS and EPS, who was installed as CM, came together.

They expelled Sasikala’s nephew T T V Dhinakaran and steered the party together for nearly five years. However, EPS dislodged OPS in July this year using the brute majority he enjoys in party forums.