OPS says ready for AIADMK reunion - what's behind his desperate pitch

NEW DELHI: Expelled AIADMK person O Panneerselvam (OPS) connected Thursday publically declared that helium was "ready" for reunification with Edappadi K Palaniswami’'s (EPS) AIADMK faction up of

Tamil Nadu

's 2026 assembly polls.At a property conscionable successful Madurai, OPS threw a pointed situation astatine some EPS and AMMK wide caput TTV Dhinakaran, asking whether they were prepared to instrumentality the leap.

"I americium acceptable for that.

Are they ready?" helium said, invoking the anticipation of rival factions closing ranks nether the NDA umbrella.But EPS's effect was a door-slam: "There is nary accidental of admitting OPS into AIADMK. OPS has already been removed from the basal rank position." EPS cited the party's wide council, which had expelled OPS successful 2023, saying determination could beryllium nary re-induction.The crisp speech has reopened a question Tamil Nadu authorities has been softly circling for months: what does OPS bash successful 2026. A three-time main curate and erstwhile a stand-in successful AIADMK for J Jayalalithaa aft her death, wherefore is helium pushing truthful hard now?

OPS's reunion pitch: A situation oregon a past attempt?

OPS's reunion enactment comes amid a BJP-driven effort to revive and grow the NDA confederation successful Tamil Nadu.

With BJP progressively invested successful forging an anti-DMK front, the enactment has been nudging splintered AIADMK factions to align, oregon astatine slightest debar damaging vote-splits.In that backdrop, OPS framed reunification arsenic the "natural" result if EPS and Dhinakaran who were bitter rivals could adjacent ranks. If specified a rapprochement is possible, helium argued, what stops his return?OPS besides returned to his acquainted ideological peg: the restoration of MGR-era by-laws and "cadres' rights".

His committee, aboriginal evolved into a kazhagam, helium said, exists lone to reclaim the party's archetypal rules, not to go a afloat governmental enactment for 2026.When asked astir reported talks with BJP's Tamil Nadu in-charge Piyush Goyal and rumours of a 2-seat offer, OPS refused to reply directly, calling it "parama ragasiyam" (a profound secret). Dhinakaran, meanwhile, positioned himself arsenic mediator, urging OPS to articulation NDA to revive the "Amma regime".

Why EPS rejected the offer

EPS's refusal is being framed by his campy arsenic a substance of enactment subject and organisational authority.AIADMK leaders constituent to the 2023 wide assembly determination expelling OPS for "anti-party activities", saying it was a unanimous verdict by a assembly of implicit 2,500 members. EPS has repeatedly argued the enactment cannot instrumentality to "dual leadership" politics, and that the absorption is to decision the DMK with a consolidated NDA.The BJP excessively has indicated wherever it stands. Union location curate Amit Shah has backed EPS arsenic the NDA's starring look for the 2026 contest, with decisions connected the aboriginal signifier of the confederation to beryllium taken post-election.In different words, OPS's biggest occupation is not conscionable EPS. It is that the BJP's Tamil Nadu portion has moved connected without him.

Why OPS looks hopeless up of 2026 polls

OPS’s urgency is rooted successful 1 blunt world - governmental isolation is accelerated turning into electoral irrelevance.He is simply a erstwhile main curate with 3 stints, but successful Tamil Nadu’s existent confederation arithmetic, OPS has constricted negotiating power. This is due to the fact that helium nary longer controls 3 dialog essentials - a party, a awesome oregon a demonstrable seat-winning base.In the past 2 predetermination cycles, OPS has failed to person sanction designation into measurable electoral influence. In 2021 assembly polls, his campy failed to look arsenic a force.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, OPS did not triumph a seat, contesting arsenic an Independent nether the jackfruit symbol, which helium described arsenic a "test of cadre support" for his reunification pitch.Meanwhile, OPS has besides been structurally locked retired of the AIADMK. EPS’s campy points to OPS's 2023 expulsion for "anti-party activities", endorsed by a 2,500+ subordinate wide council, making re-entry not a substance of idiosyncratic goodwill but a question of organisational authority.

Without entree to territory units and booth machinery, OPS is near with .just sentiment authorities and not the predetermination machinery.The bigger compression is coming from the NDA itself. BJP, which erstwhile saw OPS arsenic a utile fracture constituent wrong AIADMK, present appears firmly invested successful EPS-led consolidation. In this ecosystem, OPS is being offered lone a tiny role: TOI sources suggest 2–3 seats, either done AMMK's quota oregon a BJP-backed autarkic route.That mightiness beryllium wherefore OPS is pushing "reunion" truthful publicly. In 2026, his combat is not for power, but to enactment politically alive.Apart from this, OPS is besides facing a idiosyncratic governmental deadline. At astir 75, helium has constricted clip to rebuild. His reunion transportation for EPS tin truthful beryllium work not lone arsenic a dialog tactic, but besides a bequest effort - a last effort to stay applicable successful the communicative of AIADMK aft Jayalalithaa.

3 scenarios for OPS up of assembly election

With EPS shutting the door, OPS efficaciously has lone 3 options near up of assembly poll:Scenario 1: Backdoor NDA introduction via AMMK (most likely)

Risk: Becomes a inferior subordinate nether Dhinakaran and BJP, with constricted voice.Scenario 2: Go solo-lite with BJP enactment (possible)

Risk: Without AIADMK machinery, OPS whitethorn stay confined to pockets.Scenario 3: AIADMK reunion occurrence (least likely)

Risk: EPS whitethorn lone judge him connected strict terms, oregon not astatine all.OPS's caller "I'm acceptable for reunion" transportation is not simply a connection to EPS oregon Dhinakaran. It is simply a awesome to the BJP-led NDA: don't finalise 2026 predetermination program without me. But Tamil Nadu's governmental world is unforgiving. Currently, the NDA confederation mathematics is being built astir EPS-first consolidation and OPS is being negotiated not arsenic a cardinal constituent but arsenic a marginal add-on, with speech of lone 2–3 seats. That is wherefore helium has wrapped a endurance bid successful the connection of bequest - MGR by-laws, cadre rights and unity. The question present is simple: volition the AIADMK gates reopen for OPS, oregon volition 2026 people his past predetermination quality arsenic a consequential player?