O PANNEERSELVAM / Independent

Constituency: Ramanathapuram

Being an undefeated politician ever since he entered the electoral fray in 1996, O Panneerselvam, popularly known as OPS, is facing his toughest battle in Ramanathapuram constituency.

After donning the roles of municipal chairperson, MLA, minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Minister, he lost the battle to control his party AIADMK, was ousted and left to fend for himself as an independent candidate, with the support of the BJP. The BA graduate from Periyakulam in Theni district was known for loyalty to late party supremo J Jayalalithaa after she took over as the Chief Minister. Noted for his simplicity, party cadres note that he hasn’t changed colours from his days as branch secretary of the party.

OPS chose Janaki’s faction over the AIADMK (Jaya) faction when the party witnessed its first split following MG Ramachandran’s demise. After the reunion of two factions after the 1989 poll defeat, OPS gradually gained the confidence of the late AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa to the extent that she entrusted the CM post when she was forced to step down due to court convictions over corruption cases.

The septuagenarian shot to fame when he resorted to ‘dharmayutham’ on February 7, 2017 at the memorial of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa after being forced to resign as the CM. He declared war against Jayalalithaa’s confidante VK

Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran for forcing him to quit from the CM post and vowed to “fight it alone to protect the party and its legacy”. The fame was short-lived as he was reduced in stature soon after joining hands with Edappadi K Palaniswami. After being the deputy CM for some time he had to settle to play the second fiddle soon.