OPS vs OPS vs OPS vs OPS vs OPS

O Panneerselvam fought and fought to be recognised as the real head of the AIADMK – and lost. Now, the former chief minister may have a fight on his hands to prove he is the “real OPS”.

As the nomination deadline for the Lok Sabha elections heads to a close in Tamil Nadu, which is voting in one phase on April 19, there are five O Panneerselvams in the race from Ramanathapuram, including the ex-CM who lost the leadership of the AIADMK to E Palaniswami.

After his frequent knocks on court doors to claim the party failed, the ex-CM is contesting from Ramanathapuram as officially an Independent, but understood to be the candidate of the BJP-led NDA.

The four other OPS are also all Independents, with one of them a resident of Usilampatii, another of Kattur, and two of Madurai. In case of one, the resemblance with the original OPS goes deeper.

“This candidate, 61, is the son of Otchathevar; while the name of the ex-CM’s father is Ottakarathevar. The name Panneerselvam is common in Tamil, but a name starting with ‘O’ rare. The other Panneerselvams are the sons of Otchappan, Oyyaram and Oyyathevar, respectively,” an official said, adding that two more OPS may spring up on the candidate list by Wednesday, the last day of filing nominations.

In the tight political race expected in Tamil Nadu, the ex-CM, who is fighting his first Lok Sabha election, can hardly afford to lose votes to the other Panneerselvams.

Not surprisingly, both the AIADMK and DMK are claiming the other’s hand in what is one of the oldest tricks in the playbook to “confuse” voters.

While the Ramanathapuram constituency has a significant number of OBC Thevars, the community to which OPS belongs, the DMK and AIADMK will both start with an edge here due to their party