Chennai, Apr 13 (IANS): BJP Tamil Nadu State President K. Annamalai on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a special love for former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS) and Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha constituency.

“Prime Minister Modi has a special love for Panneerselvam and Ramanathapuram that is why Prime Minister fielded OPS from this constituency. If a former Chief Minister enters the Parliament, he will command respect and it will immensely benefit the constituency,” Annamalai said while addressing a public programme in favour of OPS at Ramalinga Vilasam.

OPS is contesting as an independent candidate backed by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The BJP leader said that OPS had easy access to the Prime Minister and added that this would help the constituency.

He said that OPS is a leader who was trusted by Late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for his simplicity, his character and his loyalty.

Annamalai said that OPS is also representing Late Thevar leader Muthuramalinga Thevar, who divided his wealth into 16 parts and used it for the welfare of the people from backward communities.

He also came out strongly against DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Revenue Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, accusing him of denigrating Muthuramalinga Thevar.

He said Ramachandran had said that Ramanathapuram could not grow because Thevar had a confrontation with the state government.

Annamalai said Tamil Nadu politics had witnessed many betrayals, and one was the removal of the late M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) from the DMK by its late leader M. Karunanidhi while another was the removal of OPS from the AIADMK by Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

“Presently, OPS is ahead of his rivals by 15 per cent votes but ensure that he wins by 5 lakh votes,” Annamalai said.

On the issue of drinking water problems faced by the local people, Annamalai said that the BJP government would allot special funds to link the Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar rivers and permanently solve the drinking water problem of the district.