Chennai: Former chief minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS) is leading by 2,044 votes against his nearest rival Prakash S of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Bodinayakanur after six rounds of vote counting.
OPS was ahead with 20,382 votes while Prakash had 18,338 votes, according to Election Commission (EC) data.
Bodinayakanur has long been a reliable stronghold of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) as it has won seven times since 1977. In contrast, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has managed to win only twice in the past four decades.
While the constituency has a loyal voter base towards the AIADMK’s legacy, where J. Jayalalithaa made her assembly debut in 1989, OPS has been a three- term MLA. He won consistently in 2011, 2016, and 2021 with solid margins, outperforming DMK challengers like S. Lakshmanan or Thanga Tamil Selvan through strong local connect and cadre support.
The past results indicate that OPS has his own individual support, despite his shift to DMK.
His long-standing rivalry and eventual fallout with AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, or EPS as he is called, divided the party loyalists after Jayalalithaa’s passing in 2016. Initial attempts at a dual-leadership model, with EPS and OPS as coordinator and joint coordinator collapsed amid power struggles.
By 2022, the EPS faction consolidated control, expelling OPS and his supporters in a decisive General Council move. His repeated attempts to reconcile were met with disappointment, pushing him toward joining the DMK.
The OPS-EPS fallout not only split AIADMK cadres but also altered the political arithmetic in strongholds like Bodinayakanur. The constituency voters were influenced by voter sentiment toward the split, anti-incumbency, and multi-cornered contests involving the Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
While locals still view OPS as “one of their own,” the AIADMK’s organisational machinery and the seat’s track record pose a formidable challenge to his victory, even as he expressed confidence in winning the seat.
As the results unfold, Bodinayakanur will also test the strength of AIADMK’s traditional base, the impact of leadership betrayals, and whether OPS’s personal loyal voter base can override party loyalty in a transformed Dravidian landscape.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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