O. Panneerselvam

Politician

Indian Periyakulam, Tamil Nadu, India

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Quick Info

ProfessionPolitician
NationalityIndian
Date of Birth14/01/1951
Age75 years
BirthplacePeriyakulam, Tamil Nadu, India

Latest News about O. Panneerselvam

27/02/2026

O. Panneerselvam, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and expelled AIADMK leader, officially joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party on 27 February 2026. He was inducted into the party in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, a move expected to significantly reshape the state's political landscape ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections.

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Bio/Wiki

NicknameOPS
Full NameOttakarathevar Panneerselvam

Physical Stats & More

Height5’ 7”
Weight74 kg
Eye ColorDark Brown
Hair ColorSalt & Pepper

Educational Qualification(s)

CollegeHaji Karutha Ravuthar Kavuthiya Arts College, Uthamapalayam
QualificationB.A. in Economics (dropout)

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried
WifeP. Vijayalakshmi
Children3

Family

FatherOttakkara Thevar
MotherPalaniammal Naachiar
SiblingsO Raja
ReligionHinduism
CasteMaravar (a sub-caste of Thevars)

Career

Political Journey
  • 1996: Became the chairman of Periyakulam Municipality from 1996 to 2001.
  • 2001: Sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu till 2002.
  • 2006: Was the Leader of the Opposition.
  • 2014: Sworn in as the 17th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu till mid-2015.
  • 2016: Sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after the demise of Jayalalithaa.
  • 2017: On 6 February, he tended his resignation as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. On 14 February, he was expelled from the AIADMK by party General Secretary V.K. Sasikala. On 21 August, in a merger of AIADMK, he collaborated with Edappadi K Palanisamy and became the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
  • 2021: On 14 June, he was elected as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
  • 2022: On 11 July, he was expelled as Party Treasurer and primary member of the party for 'anti-party' activities by the AIADMK General Council.
  • 2026: On 27 February, he joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, marking a major shift in Tamil Nadu's political landscape ahead of the state elections.

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. O. Panneerselvam is from the Thevar community and was born into a poor farmer's family.
2. In the 1970s, he and his friend Vijayan opened a tea stall called PV Canteen, now known as Rosie Canteen.
3. During the 1980s, he handed over the canteen to his younger brother and ventured into politics in 1996.
4. Initially, he served as the chairperson of the Periyakulam municipality in the Theni district.
5. On 29 September 2014, he became the 17th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after Jayalalitha's conviction in the disproportionate assets case.
6. He resigned as Chief Minister on 22 May 2015, and Jayalalithaa assumed office again.
7. Following Jayalalithaa's passing in 2016, he was sworn in as Chief Minister for the second time at around 1:15 am on the same day.
8. On 5 February 2017, he resigned as Chief Minister for the third time after V K Sasikala was elected as Chief Minister by the AIADMK MLAs.
9. He has presented the Tamil Nadu state budget 11 times as Finance Minister.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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