Game changer who shifted goalpost on the Marina

His now famous ‘dharma yudham’ was just the beginning of the memorial’s transformation into a political hotspot.

Exactly a year ago on this day, Panneerselvam, who had been known for his loyalty and humility, drove to the Marina and meditated for 40 minutes before his mentor J Jayalalithaa’s memorial, creating a primetime spectacle. Ending his meditation, the once loyal foot soldier of the AIADMK triggered a revolt in the state’s largest political party by declaring an all-out war against VK Sasikala and her family and announced his ‘dharma yudham’ to oust the Mannargudi family from the party and government. 

The move, which initially did not yield fruits since he was not able to bring down the Edappadi K Palaniswami government, ended in success later when the entire state cabinet revolted against Sasikala and his nephew TTV Dinakaran. A week after his ‘meditation’, Sasikala, who was then AIADMK general secretary, stopped by at the Jaya Memorial and made a dramatic vow in full media glare by thumping her hand thrice at the late CM’s memorial while on her way to the Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru. 

Just two months later, the Jaya Memorial once again saw a significant political shift as the two rival camps led by Panneerselvam and E Palaniswami, joined hands to jointly run the party and government. Panneerselvam returned to the cabinet as the Deputy Chief Minister and one of his supporters ‘Mafoi’ K Pandiarajan became a minister. A year after the Marina meditation, Sasikala’s family is out of the party and do not hold any influence over the government. 

On a lighter note, the now famed OPS meditation has inspired meme creators, film makers and political pundits who gave creative spins to the rare spectacle at the Marina. An upcoming Kollywood film has even put out a spoof poster of the lead actor performing ‘OPS meditation’ as one of the scenes in the film.