Massive Vanniyar youth meet in Mamallapuram highlights PMK's internal struggles

The Chithirai Conference of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) on the East Coast Road (ECR), near Mamallapuram, around 60 km from Chennai, underscored the ongoing rift between founder S Ramadoss and his son and party president Anbumani Ramadoss, despite their public appearance together.

The event, held on Sunday (May 11) after a 12-year gap, saw the two leaders on stage together, but the atmosphere was far from harmonious. Father and son wore wary expressions, and their body language signaled the underlying tension.

Also Read: In TN, father-son face-offs fuel power struggles in both MDMK and PMK

Family friction

A senior PMK leader told The Federal that the event drew a large crowd, particularly followers from the Vanniyar community, but it was marred by evident tension between Ramadoss and Anbumani. He also said Ramadoss avoided interactions with Anbumani and even sat apart during the proceedings.

"That alliance, this alliance, internal party alliances...none of this will happen," quipped Ramadoss in an obvious reference to Anbumani's penchant for electoral alliances. This blunt dismissal of alliance talks reinforced the father's control over the party's future direction.

Senior leaders noted that Ramadoss’s speech was largely directed as advice for his son. "Why worry? I will decide on an alliance. Empty noise achieves nothing. Trusting blindly in alliances leads to failure. No one can fool me. Many are ready to replace you. A party isn’t anyone's personal property," he said.

"If you work, you will continue in your post; otherwise, you will be removed. I will even throw the sitting MLA in the Bay of Bengal if they don't work for the people," he added to a good measure.

Also Read: Ahead of TN polls, S Ramadoss returns as PMK chief; son now working president

Father leaves stage

The tension went up a few notches when it was time for Anbumani to release a book. Ramadoss left the event without participating in the release. Further, Ramadoss refrained from conversing directly with Anbumani throughout the event.

Anbumani targeted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, accusing the DMK of winning seats in Vanniyar-majority constituencies but failing to do anything substantial for the community.

But Ramadoss referred to Stalin as "thambi (younger brother) Stalin" in his speech. However, he did accuse the state government of showing no inclination to provide 10.5 per cent internal reservations for Vanniyars in government jobs and higher education, a demand central to the community's aspirations.

Also Read: PMK gets ambitious as smaller parties challenge DMK-AIADMK hegemony in Tamil Nadu

The conference, which also saw discussions on the demand for a caste survey to protect the 69 per cent quota in Tamil Nadu, was a significant gathering for the Vanniyar community. The internal discord within the PMK, however, overshadowed the political messages.

Also Read: PMK slams DMK on NEP flip-flop: 'Its theatrics cannot mask its hypocrisy'

Mugundhan a flash point?

Ramadoss was seen in close proximity with party colleague Parasuraman Mugundhan yesterday. It may be recalled that recently, Ramadoss announced Mugundhan's appointment as Youth Wing Secretary, but Anbumani vehemently opposed it.

He had argued that Mugundhan, who had joined the party just four months earlier, was being prematurely elevated to a prominent position. This had led to a fracas between the father and son. Mukundan is the son of Ramadoss’s elder daughter Gandhimathi.

Yesterday, Ramadoss rubbed it in, entering the stage with an arm draped on Mukundan's shoulder.