PMK power struggle: Party leaders still uncertain on resolution
CHENNAI: Even as S. Ramadoss — the founder and president of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), a key political party with strong support in the northern and northwestern districts of Tamil Nadu — continues to publicly push for a settlement in the ongoing power struggle within the party, several senior leaders remain uncertain about a much-awaited resolution.
The party is currently embroiled in a leadership tussle between Ramadoss and his son, Anbumani Ramadoss, who also serves as the party's president.
With the 2026 assembly elections a few months away, the fallout between father and son over leadership and the infighting that followed have cast a cloud of uncertainty on the party's future.
On June 13, PMK chief Anbumani announced that he will take on a state-wide walkathon starting on July 25 that will span over 100 days and conclude on November 1, aimed at reclaiming the rights of Tamil people. July 25 also marks his father's 86th birthday.
The announcement gained strange attention as it came on the same day when Ramadoss told the media that he would be the president of the party 'until his last breath'.
With father and son operating in silos and pulling in opposing directions, the internal dynamics of the PMK remain a mystery. When asked about the duo and the prevailing tension, Party General Secretary Vadivel Ravanan and Headquarters Secretary Anbazhagan declined to comment to The New Indian Express (TNIE Online), adding an element of suspense and curiosity.
A latest statement by A Ramadoss, expressing that the efforts to reconcile with his son Anbumani had come to a stalemate, added to the confusion. "A disciple can sometimes be better than his guru, but a son should never try to surpass his father. That goes against dharma," he said on June 12.
This contradicts the party founder's previous view shared just a few days ago. On June 8, Ramadoss stated that the differences with his son will be sorted out.
However, with Anbumani calling for general council meetings in 10 districts from June 15 through a statement on his X handle, captioned as 'PMK headquarters announcement', and Ramadoss replacing numerous district secretaries and state-level office bearers on June 10, it already hinted that reconciliation could be a far objective.
On April 10, the 85-year-old Ramadoss announced that he would be the president of the PMK and declared that Anbumani would be its working president, demoting Anbumani from the president post. In response, Anbumani challenged his father's decision, stating that he continues to be the party chief, as he was elected by PMK's general council.
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