Chennai (Tamil Nadu)

DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin welcomed former CM and expelled AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam into the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), 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.

முன்னாள் முதலமைச்சரும் அருமைச் சகோதரருமான திரு. ஓ.பன்னீர்செல்வம் அவர்கள் தாய்க்கழகமாம் திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகத்தில் இணைந்துள்ளார். அவரை வருக வருக என வரவேற்கிறேன்.

திராவிட இயக்கத்தின் மாபெரும் தலைவரின் பெயரைத் தாங்கிய அவர் திராவிட இயக்கக் கொள்கை காக்கும் நம் பேரியக்கத்தில்… pic.twitter.com/I2YoNAxgis

— M.K.Stalin - தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) February 27, 2026

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.

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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.