Bodi a different ball game for OPS this time

Theni: Southern Tamil Nadu is witnessing a seismic shift with former AIADMK veteran and three-time chief minister O Panneerselvam seeking a fourth consecutive term from his bastion Bodinayakkanur, but this time, under the DMK banner. His supporters and rivals, a sizeable chunk of who are former supporters, are virtually at daggers drawn as he faces off against AIADMK's V T Narayanasamy.Bodinayakkanur has been an AIADMK stronghold, with late chief minister J Jayalalithaa having contested and won in the 1989 election. OPS, 75, recorded a hat-trick of victories in 2011, 2016 and 2021. But this election is a different ballgame altogether. Panneerselvam's main obstacle would be taking on the AIADMK symbol ‘two leaves' in its stronghold, a battle he has been waging with party general secretary and his bete noire Edappadi Palaniswami. "Though AIADMK still has many OPS supporters, they will continue to remain loyal to the party and work hard for AIADMK candidate," said an AIADMK functionary. In 2021, OPS defeated DMK's Thanga Tamil Selvan by over 11,000 votes. Thanga Tamil Selvan, who was in AIADMK, had first joined AMMK after Jayalalithaa's demise, and DMK after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Though Thanga Tamil Selvan's stronghold was Andipatti, he was fielded as a DMK candidate from Bodinayakkanur to take on OPS. Thereafter, OPS, as an NDA ally, contested in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Ramanathapuram as an independent. Though five dummy candidates were fielded to prevent his victory, he secured second place with 3.42 lakh votes.Bodinayakkanur constituency comprises people from mukkulathor, nadar, pillai, chettiyar and naidu communities, apart from SCs and scheduled tribes. The vote banks of AIADMK and DMK, and caste arithmetics could be major factors in determining the winner. AIADMK sources are confident of Narayanasamy, who is a naidu, triumphing. A majority of piramalai kallar votes is expected to lean towards AIADMK."It would have gone unnoticed had he joined DMK as an ordinary individual; but how can the public respect him when he switches parties after having served three terms as chief minister representing AIADMK," an AIADMK functionary said. A perceived anti-incumbency is also a factor that OPS would have to surmount. "We have started our election work in Periyakulam area and are yet to start work in Bodinayakkanur," says an AIADMK functionary. "V R Palaniraj, an ardent supporter of OPS, claims there is no dissatisfaction among DMK cadres about OPS's entry. Former DMK MLA S Lakshmanan (who won in 2006) had to cede his chances to contest again, for DMK, but he is working for OPS in this election. "The AIADMK candidate is not strong enough to contest against OPS, so he will win by a wider margin. The DMK vote bank, achievements of the govt and election manifesto will bear fruit," he added.He said the 20,000-strong maravar community votes, along with DMK votes, will be to OPS's advantage. Shankar M, a DMK functionary from Bodinayakkanur, said OPS is being welcomed with great enthusiasm. "From improvement of water supply and underground drainage system, paved roads in villages, and the govt's engineering, arts and veterinary colleges, OPS is sitting pretty in Theni district.," he added.