Infighting takes centre stage at key PMK meet
The internal tussles in NDA ally Pattalli Makkal Katchi (PMK), an influential party among the dominant community of Vanniyars, was wide open on Friday with just 13 out of the 220 district office-bearers of the party turning up for a meeting convened by founder S Ramadoss.
The patriarch recently on April 11 took over the party from his son, successor and Rajya Sabha MP Anbumani Ramadoss. The father made himself president of the PMK once again and announced that Anbumani would be its working president. Anbumani subsequently challenged his father asserting that he continues to be the party chief since he was elected by PMK's general council.
Though the duo sat next to each other during PMK's youth conference conducted after 12 years on May 11, senior Ramadoss didn't mince words over his unhappiness of there being various factions within the party. The conference was attended by lakhs of PMK cadres and people from the Vanniyar community in Chennai. The 85-year-old senior Ramadoss had said that he would have the last word on the party, its alliance and its functioning ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.
And, on Friday, he had invited the office bearers to his residence in Tamil Nadu's Villupuram district. But, only 15 of them turned up. However, Ramadoss said that nobody boycotted his invite but those who could not attend the meeting spoke to him over phone to express their inability to attend. 'Maybe, they were exhausted after attending the party's conference at Mamallapuram, recently (on May 11)….Lion's legs have not become weak nor lion's aggression,' Ramadoss told reporters. He also added that they will contest 2026 in alliance with other parties. 'It shows that support in the party is tilting towards his son,' said a PMK leader not wishing to be identified.
Ramadoss and Anbumani have been sparring publicly since December 2024. Anbumani had objected to Ramadoss' decision to appoint his nephew as the youth wing chief of PMK. Those in the know of the power struggle have been saying that while the PMK has been in alliance with the BJP, Ramadoss was keen to align with the AIADMK. He removed Anbumani from the post of party president (which he was holding since 2022) on April 11 on the day Union home minister Amit Shah arrived in Chennai. On the following day Shah announced that the BJP and AIADMK have patched up after 19 months and will fight the 2026 elections together.
At the youth conference last week, Anbumani praised his father for his effort for over 45 years with the Union government which has now announced conducting a caste census. But, the father did not return the kind words and said that the cadre are not working hard enough.
PMK is a key regional player wielding influence over the Vanniyar community - their core vote bank of roughly 5%
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Completely absurd': ECI debunks Rahul Gandhi's 'match fixing' allegation; Gandhi called Maharashtra election rigged
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar (left) and Rahul Gandhi. (Photo/Agencies) NEW DELHI: The election commission of India (ECI) on Saturday refuted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi 's claim of "match-fixing" in elections, calling the allegations "completely absurd." While putting a point wise rebuttal of Congress MP's claims, the ECI said, "The entire nation is aware that each election process including the preparation of electoral rolls, polling and counting etc. are all held by Government staff and that too in the presence of authorised representatives formally appointed by Political Parties/ Candidates from polling station upto constituency level." The top poll body added in its statement, "Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is not only a sign of disrespect towards Law, but also brings disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by their own political party and demotivates lakhs of election staff who work untiringly and transparently during elections." "After any unfavourable verdict by the voters, trying to defame the Election Commission by saying that it is compromised, is completely absurd," the statement by ECI read. Earlier in the day, the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha outlined the alleged electoral irregularities in a stepwise manner — fake voters are added, voter turnout is inflated, bogus voting is facilitated, and evidence is subsequently hidde "How to steal an election? Maharashtra assembly elections in 2024 were a blueprint for rigging democracy," Gandhi said while sharing an article written by him. "My article shows how this happened, step by step: Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission. Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll. Step 3: Inflate voter turnout. Step 4: Target the bogus voting exactly where BJP needs to win. Step 5: Hide the evidence," Gandhi wrote. "It's not hard to see why the BJP was so desperate in Maharashtra. But rigging is like match-fixing - the side that cheats might win the game, but damages institutions and destroys public faith in the result. All concerned Indians must see the evidence. Judge for themselves. Demand answers," Gandhi said. "Because the match-fixing of Maharashtra will come to Bihar next, and then anywhere the BJP is losing," the leader of opposition claimed in his post. Debunking Gandhi's allegations, the ECI said in its statement, "Electoral Rolls in India, including Maharashtra, are prepared as per the Representation of People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. As per law, either just before the elections and/or once every year, Special Summary Revision of the Electoral Rolls is conducted and a final copy of the Electoral Rolls is handed over to all the National/State political parties, including Indian National Congress (INC)." The ECI statement further read, "After the finalisation of these Electoral Rolls during Maharashtra elections, as against 9,77,90,752 Electors, only a total of 89 appeals were filed before the 1st appellate authority (DM) and only 1 appeal was filed before the 2nd appellate authority (CEO). Therefore, it is amply clear that there was no grievance of INC or any other political parties before the conduct of Maharashtra Assembly Elections in 2024. "
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Karnataka CM, Dy CM, home minister should take responsibility for stampede: Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru, JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday said, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah , Deputy CM D K Shivakumar and Home Minister G Parameshwara should take responsibility for the June 4 stampede that killed 11 people, and should resign if they have morality. He hit out at the government for suspending five police officers including the city police commissioner. "The suspension of five police officers with haste in connection with this unpleasant incident was unnecessary, if officials are made scapegoats for the mistakes of the government, can the officers work effectively? The government should have thought about it," Kumaraswamy said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 뒷목 땡김? 한국인만 모르는 '이런 베개'가 원인.. 생활 건강 꿀팁 공유 더 알아보기 Undo Speaking to reporters here, he said, those heading the government claim to give a transparent, truthful and loyal administration, and they should understand the public opinion about the decisions they have taken. "FIR on stampede incident says permission was sought for June 4 victory celebrations at the stadium, even before the match started on June 3. Final match started at 7:30 pm (on June 3) but an application was submitted at 6 pm for the next day's celebration, did they dream about winning the match? Another application was submitted to DAPR for the celebrations in front of Vidhana Soudha, who was behind it? Who put the pressure on the police commissioner at 7:30 am that day (June 4) for permission?" he asked. Live Events The stampede occurred on June 4 evening in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium here, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations . Eleven people died and 56 were injured in the incident. The Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister will have to take the responsibility for the stampede and all the three of them are at fault, former CM said. "What was the need to felicitate the team within 24 hours of the team's victory? Fine, what kind of felicitation was done? Was such a slipshod felicitation needed? If they have morality they should resign. But these days politicians, I can't expect it from them, but as an opposition party, we have demanded. We are not in a miserable state to do politics on dead bodies, such a situation will never come," he added. Shivakumar on Friday had accused opposition BJP and JD(S) of doing politics over dead bodies. The Karnataka Congress on Friday recalled the law-and-order breakdown after the death of thespian Dr Rajkumar when H D Kumaraswamy was the chief minister of the JD(S)-BJP coalition government in 2006, to counter the opposition's attack now. Reacting to this Kumaraswamy said, "Some elements have tried to create nuisance and unrest during Rajkumar's death. That led to shooting and two deaths. I have openly accepted it, why link that incident with this stampede?" Hitting out at Shivakumar, Kumaraswamy asked, "what is his achievement? What has he achieved or done? What is his contribution in the last two years for Bengaluru city and the state?"
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
‘Not the BJP's Bharat Mata': CPI to hoist national flags, plant saplings in protest; questions governor
'Not the BJP's Bharat Mata': CPI to hoist national flags, plant saplings in protest; questions governor THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KANNUR: CPI is not ready to leave aside the controversy that erupted over the 'Bharat Mata' portrait at Raj Bhavan. The CPI will hoist the national flag and plant saplings on Saturday to underscore the message that Bharat Mata is truly represented by the tricolour, not the saffron flag. Agriculture minister P Prasad had boycotted the environmental day function at Raj Bhavan on Thursday after governor Rajendra Arlekar rejected the minister's demand that a portrait of Bharat Mata installed on the dais be removed as the portrait is widely used by the RSS. The minister said the agriculture department decided to shift the function to Durbar Hall in the secretariat complex after Raj Bhavan wanted him to offer floral tributes to the portrait. CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam said in a statement on Friday that at government events and tableaus, portraits featuring Bharat Mata carries the national flag. However, the one used by Raj Bhavan shows a saffron flag and other motifs usually seen at RSS events. 'Who said Bharat Mata rides a lion? Who said Bharat Mata has to hold a saffron flag? India does not know of such Bharat Mata. Jawaharlal Nehru has explained in detail what Bharat Mata means,' he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade online with TMGM TMGM Sign Up Undo Viswam told reporters in Kannur on Friday that the governor's official residence should not be converted into the camp office of BJP. 'The governor's obstinate stance to use the image at Raj Bhavan as instructed by RSS could not be accepted. Governor should make clear his priority — is it Indian Constitution or RSS?' Viswam said. Viswam said the governor's post is unnecessary in India. 'Presently, the central govt is misusing the governors to control opposition-ruled states. Governors in non-BJP ruled states are illegally holding bills passed by state assembly. The main aim is to resist the development of the states,' he said. Meanwhile, CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Santhosh Kumar wrote to President Droupadi Murmu alleging 'misuse' of gubernatorial authority in the opposition-ruled states. He alleged that the use of Bharat Mata image 'potentially contravened' the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950, and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, 'by misusing national symbols for political or sectarian purposes'. On Saturday, all branches of the CPI will hoist the national flag and plant saplings to underscore the message that Bharatamba is truly represented by the tricolour. The saplings will be nurtured by the party branches as symbols of national unity, Viswam said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
