Short answer: not exactly. It isn’t accurate to say Jainism was completely driven out of Tamil Nadu by Saivite saints. What happened was a long — and complex — process of decline and dispersion over many centuries, due to a mix of political changes, changing patronage, invasions, and the rise of Bhakti movements (including Shaiva and Vaishnava streams). The result was that Jain communities and temple complexes diminished in Tamil Nadu, while some Jain presence persisted in pockets or migrated to other regions.

Key points from a Jain perspective:

• Jainism had a significant presence in parts of Tamil Nadu in ancient and medieval times, with temples and lay communities documented in various periods.
• Over time, shifting royal patronage and broader social-religious currents contributed to a gradual decline rather than a single event of expulsion by Saivite saints.
• The Saiva bhakti movement and related religious currents interacted with Jains in the region, but did not universally erase Jain practice; remnants and historical traces remain in inscriptions and later narratives.

If you’d like, I can point you to authentic Jain sources that discuss the historical presence and decline of Jainism in Tamil Nadu, and explain how Digambara and Śvētāmbara perspectives describe these transitions.