Rameswaram: Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ousted AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam has been allotted the 'jackfruit' symbol to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Ramanathapuram seat.

The symbol was allotted through a lottery organised at the district collectorate in Ramanathapuram on Saturday.

On Sunday, Panneerselvam, who is contesting the polls as an independent, posed with a 'jackfruit' to officially announce the allotment of the symbol at a public meeting in Thiruvadanai.

OPS is in alliance with the BJP and is contesting the seat as an independent after losing a case in Madras High Court for retaining the flag and letterhead of the AIADMK.

The 'jackfruit' symbol was allotted through a drawing of lots at the district collectorate on Saturday. The former CM will face four other candidates of the same name in Ramanathapuram.

MP Ravindranath, Thiruvadanai Union Secretary Senkai Rajan, Aani Muthu Vetrivelan, KK Pandi, Selvanayakam, BJP spiritual wing state secretary Guruji and other alliance party executives were present.

Earlier, Panneerselvam (OPS) filed his nomination earlier, on Monday, March 25. He submitted his nomination to Ramanathapuram District Collector P Vishnuchandran.

There are 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu. The state is voting on April 19 in a single phase of polling.

During the 2019 general elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which comprised INC, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, and AIFB, registered a landslide victory by winning 38 of the 39 seats.

The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases starting April 19.