Expelled All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Friday joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the presence of party president and Chief Minister M. K. Stalin in Chennai.
Along with Panneerselvam, his son P. Ravindhranath Kumar also joined the DMK ahead of the forthcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Panneerselvam was expelled from the AIADMK in 2022 following a leadership tussle with Edappadi K. Palaniswami. His decision to join the DMK comes after he recently praised Chief Minister Stalin and predicted the return of the DMK government in the state.
The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly is scheduled to go to the polls in the first half of 2026. The Stalin-led alliance is expected to campaign on its “Dravidian Model 2.0” plank against the BJP-AIADMK alliance.
Actor-turned-politician Vijay has also entered the political fray with his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), potentially turning the contest into a three-cornered fight.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the DMK won 133 seats.
ECI reviews poll preparedness
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday conducted a comprehensive review of preparedness for the forthcoming Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections during a visit to Chennai.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, held detailed discussions on various aspects of poll planning and readiness.
The Commission interacted with representatives of recognised national and state political parties.
According to the Commission, most political parties appreciated the ECI for the peaceful and smooth conduct of the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in the state.
Assuring stakeholders that their suggestions would be duly considered, CEC Gyanesh Kumar reiterated that elections are conducted strictly in accordance with the law and in a free, fair and transparent manner.
Following the interaction with political parties, the Commission held an extensive review meeting with heads and nodal officers of enforcement agencies, as well as senior police and district officials. Discussions covered election planning, Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) management, logistics, training of election personnel, seizures, law and order, and voter awareness and outreach activities.
The Commission directed enforcement agencies to act with complete impartiality and take firm action against any inducement-related activities. District Election Officers (DEOs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) were instructed to prioritise voter comfort and accessibility at polling stations, ensure robust training of officials, and promote widespread awareness about electoral processes.
(With ANI inputs)
