Snubbed OPS makes it formal, exits NDA in Tamil Nadu; Vijay's party may be next halt

Indian Express

5 days ago

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK rebel O Panneerselvam on Thursday formally announced his exit from the BJP-led NDA, ending a strained and often ambiguous relationship with the coalition.
The move, long anticipated within political circles, came after what supporters of Panneerselvam, commonly known as OPS, described as months of humiliation and political neglect by the BJP's central leadership – with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, most recently, denying him an audience during his visit to the state.
The announcement that OPS's outfit AIADMK Cadres' Rights Retrieval Committee was leaving the NDA was made by the ex-CM's aide Panruti S Ramachandran at a press meeting in Chennai Thursday. After declaring that the Committee was leaving the NDA for 'reasons that are well-known to everyone', Ramachandran said OPS would not be aligning with any other party for now and would soon embark on a statewide tour. 'We will consider future alliances depending on the political climate,' he said.
OPS, who was present at the press meeting, chose not to speak, directing all questions to Panruti.
Top sources close to OPS said the decision to break away from the NDA had been brewing for weeks. 'He felt completely dejected,' said a source familiar with discussions within the party. 'He expected that the Prime Minister would at least meet him during the recent visit. But nothing. That was the final straw.'
OPS had requested to be part of the group of leaders who received Modi at the airport in Chennai – a ceremonial gesture but with much political import. However, he was not included, even as leaders like G K Vasan of NDA ally Tamil Maanila Congress were invited to meet Modi.
A confidant of OPS, who is no longer active in politics, said the former CM felt 'used' by the Sangh Parivar, alleging that his rebellion against EPS (Edappadi K Palaniswami) in the AIADMK was 'on the advice of BJP and RSS leaders'. 'But eventually, the BJP embraced EPS and ignored OPS. He felt betrayed.'
On OPS's next move, a close aide confirmed that discussions with actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) were underway. 'There are only two real options – the DMK or TVK. The TVK is the frontrunner now,' the aide said.
He added that OPS may bring along another influential AIADMK rebel, T T V Dhinakaran, which would mark a consolidation of influence across southern Tamil Nadu. The nephew of Sasikala, who was the close confidante of late AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa, Dhinakaran has been trying to find his feet in the state just like OPS.
A senior TVK leader also indicated the party was open to taking OPS along. 'We have no reason to reject him. He is a former CM. His camp includes an ex-minister and four former MLAs. OPS still holds ground in parts of the state,' the leader said.
The DMK was tight-lipped on OPS though, with both camps dismissing speculation that the former CM's decision to leave the NDA had followed a meeting with Stalin during their morning walk. 'They may have crossed paths during walks at the Theosophical Society,' a senior DMK leader said. 'But that means nothing. If they met at the CM's residence, it would be a different story.'
As for the NDA, OPS's departure further tethers the BJP's fortunes in Tamil Nadu to the EPS-led AIADMK, though legal battles over the party's control are not over yet.
A senior AIADMK leader who was with OPS at the peak of his internal party revolt in 2017 suggested that the leader was left with few choices. 'It is not a decision of strength, but of survival… OPS once believed the BJP would restore his power; instead, he lost his CM post, his party post, his party itself, and his people – and now, even their pretence of support.'
The leader alleged that this was a script that was not new for the BJP – 'forcefully own a leader, make him do the worst, drain him, and discard him'.