Tamil Nadu polls: DMK MLA Dr P Saravanan joins BJP in Chennai

Former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLA Dr. P Saravanan on Sunday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chennai ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections. 

After the DMK denied a ticket to sitting MLA Dr. P Saravanan on Saturday from the Thiruparankundram Assembly constituency, his supporters staged a protest in Madurai.

Soon after joining BJP, Saravanan said, "I was a member of BJP 6 years ago. Today I've rejoined it under the able leadership of PM Modi. I am very happy. The vaccine is not only being provided to the country but also being sent across the world. It's an achievement of our leadership that no one can deny."

He added, "As a doctor, I seriously doubted a vaccine for COVID-19. But now, the vaccine for COVID-19 is not only given to the people of the country but also being transported to other countries as well. This itself is a bright example of the able leadership under which our country is running today."

Tamil Nadu Assembly polls

The two warring factions in AIADMK—Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS)—reconciled after the party named incumbent E Palaniswamy as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee. He has also announced a slew of social measures like Pongal gift hampers, farm loan waiver, free COVID-19 vaccines, passing school students, etc which has been slammed by DMK M K Stalin calling it 'pre-poll appeasement'.  Meanwhile, ex-CM Karunanidhi's successor, DMK chief MK Stalin eyes his maiden CM term as DMK cannot afford to lose a third straight Assembly election after sweeping the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 38 seats.