Son triumphs in PMK power battle: EC hands Anbumani presidency till 2026
Dr Ramadoss accuses his son, Anbumani, of bribing the Election Commission to seize the PMK presidency and the mango symbol amid an intensifying family feud
In a dramatic escalation of what has become Tamil Nadu's most riveting family feud, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has dealt a decisive blow to Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder Dr S Ramadoss, officially affirming his son Dr Anbumani Ramadoss as the party's president until August 1, 2026.
Also read | PMK decides Anbumani will continue as chief for a year; Ramadoss silent
The ruling, communicated on November 28, rejects a barrage of letters from Dr S Ramadoss urging the ECI to derecognise Anbumani and reinstate him instead. In response, the founder's camp, furious and unyielding, has vowed to stage a protest in New Delhi next week, signalling a deepening schism that could fracture the Vanniyar-centric party just months before the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Founder camp cries foul
The ECI's letter, addressed directly to Dr S Ramadoss, leaves little room for ambiguity: “As per the records of the Commission, the term of office-bearers of the Pattali Makkal Katchi is valid up to August 1, 2026, and Dr Anbumani Ramadoss is the president of the party.” This comes after months of parallel claims, forged documents, and courtroom brinkmanship, with Anbumani's faction submitting evidence of a 2023 general council resolution extending his tenure, a move the founder's supporters dismiss as “fabricated” and “party theft”.
PMK spokesperson and advocate K Balu hailed the decision as a "clear endorsement," emphasising that only Anbumani's loyalists can now wield the party's iconic mango symbol in electoral battles. For the Ramadoss camp, the verdict is nothing short of betrayal. MLA GK Mani, a die-hard loyalist, accused Anbumani's group of submitting “forged documents” and vowed legal recourse, while the founder himself, now 86, has reportedly mulled floating a splinter outfit to salvage his legacy.
The planned Delhi protest, sources say, aims to pressure the central government and rally national attention to what they frame as an “illegal seizure” of a decades-old movement. “This is not just about a post; it's about the soul of PMK,” fumed Mani, echoing the founder's long-standing mantra that the party is “not a private property.” The party's base, Vanniyars in northern districts, remains loyal, but urban drift and rival OBC outfits like VCK have eroded its edges.
Party rivalry erupts publicly
The Ramadoss family, once a united front, began unravelling in late 2024. Whispers of discord surfaced at a December 28 PMK general council meeting in Villupuram, where Ramadoss pushed to install his grandson P Mukundan (son of daughter Gandhimathi) as youth wing president. Anbumani, seated beside his father, slammed the mic down in defiance, muttering, “Give more positions to the family.”
By May 2025, the feud exploded. Ramadoss declared Anbumani's three-year term expired on May 28, reinstating himself as president and demoting his son to “working president for non-performance.”
Anbumani fired back, citing ECI records and a 2023 extension, while accusing his father of authoritarianism. Public barbs flew, Ramadoss alleged Anbumani once hurled a footwear at him (which hit a wall) and regretted making him minister; Anbumani branded his father's moves “invalid.”
Also read | Family drama rocks PMK: Two dates, two general council meetings
The party saw parallel general council meetings over the summer — Anbumani’s faction met in August at Mahabalipuram and extended his term till 2026, while on September 11, Ramadoss’s faction expelled Anbumani, accusing him of “wiretapping” and creating “rifts.” Senior Ramadoss even sought a meeting with PM Narendra Modi, hinting at BJP mediation, but to no avail.
Fresh claims fuel confrontation
In the party consultative meeting held in Cuddalore on Saturday, senior Ramadoss accused his son of allegedly bribing the ECI for the recent decision. “Anbumani has bribed and bought the Election Commission. I can never give up my rights. No one can steal my rights. From now on, it is Ramadoss who will win. PMK’s reduced representation in the Assembly is entirely a result of Anbumani’s actions. He can only convene meetings by paying money. He is trying to usurp the party that I founded. Everything Anbumani says regarding party matters is a lie.”
Political analyst Ravindran said, “Anbumani is clear about his political direction, and I’m sure he will return to the NDA for both his leadership goals and the welfare of his community.”
