TIRUCHY: O Panneerselvam supporter and former AIADMK MLA from Kunnam, RT Ramachandran (50), has announced his decision to quit politics, a day after indicating that he would join the DMK, following the footsteps of his close associate Vaithilingam’s defection.

In a video message shared on social media, Ramachandran said he withdrew his decision after his family, particularly his mother, urged him to remember former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. “I lost sleep last night after deciding to join the DMK. My family asked me to think of ‘Amma’, so I dropped the idea and chose to stay away from politics,” he said.

Ramachandran began his political career in the MDMK and was inducted into the AIADMK by Vaithilingam in 1997. He went on to serve as AIADMK Perambalur town secretary, won a local body election and later became vice-chairman of the Perambalur municipality.

With Vaithilingam’s backing, he contested the 2016 Assembly election from Kunnam and won. He lost the seat in 2021 to DMK candidate and present minister SS Sivasankar by a narrow margin.

After Jayalalithaa’s death and the subsequent split in the AIADMK, Vaithilingam was sidelined by party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami. Vaithilingam aligned with O Panneerselvam and joined the AIADMK Thondar Urimai Meetpu Kazhagam before recently joining the DMK.

Vaithilingam’s switch had triggered speculation that Ramachandran would follow suit, which he has now ruled out by announcing his exit from active politics.