Deposed leader O Panneerselvam on Friday exuded confidence that 'Dharma will triumph' in his ongoing legal battle with Edappadi K Palaniswami, the AIADMK's interim general secretary.

After seeing off Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the airport here, Panneerselvam told reporters that the former enquired about his health and he replied that he is doing well. Popularly known as OPS, Panneerselvam is leading the rebel AIADMK camp and he was recently treated for coronavirus.

Asked on matters in court following his expulsion on July 11 from the party, he quoted a popular Tamil verse which could be roughly translated as: "Dharma may be engulfed by a cunning ploy, but Dharma will eventually win." Last month, ahead of a party meet, Panneerselvam had quoted the same verse that begins with the word 'Dharma'.

The Supreme Court on Friday directed AIADMK rival factions, led by expelled leader Panneerselvam and Palaniswami to maintain status quo with regard to the party's affairs and asked the Madras High Court to adjudicate upon the pleas of the OPS faction against the general council meeting in three weeks.