CHENNAI: Ousted AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam (OPS) on Friday urged the party to fulfil the expectations of the cadres. The former coordinator of the party without taking the name of AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami made an appeal to take a decision with an open mind to overcome one person’s selfish idea of capturing a mass people's movement and save the party.

In a social media post, OPS stated that the AIADMK was launched and strengthened by revolutionary leaders M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa and then it evolved into a mass people's movement which stands divided now. "The cadres wonder whether the party would continue in the same manner and register another potential defeat in the July 10 Vikravandi bypoll or would the leaders come together to fight the Vikravandi bypoll as a single and strong political force to achieve an impressive victory, akin to the party's 2019 bypoll wins."

The cadres are longing for a reversal of its losing streak and want to return to the winning path, OPS said.

“Without thinking that unification of the AIADMK would weaken their grip over the party, everyone should take a collective decision with an open mind to save the party,” he wrote in the post.

A couple of days ago, the former Chief Minister had issued a similar statement and hinted that he was ready for discussions and sacrifices for the party’s larger good.