Chennai, Aug 4 (IANS): Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and expelled AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam has called upon the cadres not to resort to harsh words while responding to criticism.

In a letter to his supporters, the former Chief Minister called upon his close supporters to resort to the model shown by former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai who is considered the man behind the advent of Dravidian politics.

OPS in the letter said, "Like Perarignar Anna said, our popularity and the support people have for us should impress those who criticise us. People and party men hate them and they are not able to take it. Their inability has turned into anger."

It is to be noted that OPS is involved in a bitter power struggle with the former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS). With a brute majority in the general council of the AIADMK, EPS faction had cut O. Panneerselvam and his associates to size.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Tamil Nadu for the inauguration of the Chess Olympiad, both the leaders met him.

Sources in the AIADMK told IANS that the saffron party is trying a patch-up between the two leaders as it does not want the vote bank of OPS, especially the Thevar community, to split during the run up to the 2024 general elections.