The tech whiz’s transition from Amma to Annan

Singai G. Ramachandran, the former AIADMK IT Wing Secretary, was expelled by the party after he took sides with Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam. But the IIM - Ahmedabad alumnus, hand-picked by Jayalalithaa two years ago for the post, says he has no regrets about his decision.

Mr. Ramachandran was one of the first party functionaries to switch sides following Mr. Panneerselvam’s speech near Jayalalithaa’s memorial on Tuesday. “It was OPS Annan ’s speech at the Marina that induced me to take this decision. I will continue to work for Annan ,” says Mr. Ramachandran, who is already busy collecting details of people arriving at the Chief Minister’s residence on Greenways Road.

“It was

Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR) who presided over my parents’ wedding by giving the

thali to my father. It was

Amma who lifted me as a baby and named me after

Puratchi Thalaivar . We are an AIADMK family. I joined the party when I was 18 and my role model is

Amma ,” recalls Mr. Ramachandran.

After graduating with a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, Mr. Ramachandran worked for three years before joining the IIM - Ahmedabad to pursue an MBA in 2013.

“I didn’t opt for placements because I felt that politics was my calling in life. This is my passion. I wanted to put my skills to use for Amma and she called me and gave me the post in the IT Wing in 2015,” he recalls.

But now that he has been removed from the post and expelled from the party, does he regret his decision? “Definitely not. I was always clear. I learnt from

Amma that there would be a lot of hurdles in life and I would have to face them the way she did. I take inspiration from her and follow in her footsteps. For me, the impact that we create under a good leadership matters a lot,” he contends.

Defending the Chief Minister, Mr. Ramachandran argues that youngsters are now looking for someone who understands and views their problems through their prism, someone who is accessible and can resolve issues in a peaceful manner.

“Through his handling of issues like jallikattu , the drought and Cyclone Vardah, our Annan has proved that he is the one we are looking for. He has earned the respect of the youth, the public and cadre across party lines. He has the youth’s support,” Mr. Ramachandran concludes.