Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ousted AIADMK leader Ottakarathevar Panneerselvam visited the Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram on Monday before commencing his campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Panneerselvam, also known as OPS, who is vying for the Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha constituency in south Tamil Nadu, participated in a sacred ritual by taking a dip in the 22 holy theerthas at the Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple. He also sought blessings from Swami Ambal during his visit. Notably, the temple holds significance as one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites.
OPS, who was ousted from the AIADMK, was assigned the ‘jackfruit’ symbol through a lottery conducted at the district collectorate in Ramanathapuram on Saturday. On Sunday, he posed with a ‘jackfruit’ to formally announce the allocation of the symbol at a public gathering in Thiruvadanai.
OPS is running in the elections as an independent candidate with backing from the BJP-NDA after losing the case in Madras High Court regarding the retention of the flag and letterhead of the AIADMK.
Interestingly, there are four other candidates with the name O Panneeerselvan contesting in the Ramanathapuram constituency.
OPS submitted his nomination to Ramanathapuram District Collector P Vishnuchandran after filing it on March 25.
The Ramanathapuram constituency includes six assembly segments: Paramakudi (reserved), Thiruvadanai, Ramanathapuram, Mudukulathur, Aranthangi, and Thiruchuli. Tamil Nadu has a total of 39 Lok Sabha constituencies, and the state will vote on April 19 in a single phase of polling.
In the 2019 general elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance, including INC, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, and AIFB, clinched a resounding victory, securing 38 out of the 39 seats. The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats across the country will occur in seven phases beginning on April 19.
