Father-son rift within PMK widens, Ramadoss accuses Anbumani of failing to lead party

Time of India

29-05-2025

Anbumani and Ramadoss
CHENNAI: The rift between PMK founder S Ramadoss and
Anbumani Ramadoss
got nastier on Thursday with the 85-year-old father accusing his 56-year-old son of throwing a bottle at his mother, telling lies and failing to lead the party 'in the right direction'.
'Everyone regards their mother as goddess. During Pongal this year, while sitting and chatting at home with the family, Anbumani's mother asked him if we had appointed his second daughter as the youth wing leader, would he have kept quiet. In response, Anbumani lifted a bottle from where he was seated and threw it at his own mother. Fortunately, it didn't hit her, it hit the wall. This is just a sample,' Ramadoss told reporters at his farmhouse in Thailapuram near Tindivanam in Villupuram district.
This was in reference to Anbumani objecting to Ramadoss appointing his daughter's son P Mukundan as PMK's youth wing president. Mukundan resigned from the party post on Thursday, citing personal reasons.
Ramadoss accused Anbumani of lying 'without shame'. 'He (Anbumani) is lying and creating internal power struggles.' Anbumani convened a meeting of party functionaries for the next three days starting Friday.
He did not issue any statement but decided to prove who is powerful in the party, said sources close to Anbumani.
Ramadoss said the party's executive committee has 19 members. 'Anbumani neither listens to them nor allows them to express their opinions. I wanted PMK to align with AIADMK for the 2024 elections. Anbumani had discussed and finalised the alliance with Edappadi K Palaniswami (AIADMK general secretary). But suddenly, Anbumani and Sowmya came to Thailapuram and cried, insisting on an alliance with BJP,' Ramadoss said.
'They cried for so long that I had no choice but to give in. An AIADMK-PMK alliance would have been a natural one. Had it happened, PMK might have won three seats, and AIADMK six or seven,' he said.
Ramadoss said he was no longer responsible for his son's actions as PMK's working president. He criticised Anbumani's leadership and indicated plans to convene a general council meeting. The meet is meant to be a threat, to remove Anbumani from the post, said multiple sources.
Ramadoss accused Anbumani of distancing himself from PMK's core principles. He recalled that Anbumani asked him what wrong he had done and whether it was justified to remove him from the party position. This is entirely an act aimed at distracting both the people and party members. 'He is trying to hide his mistakes and seek sympathy from party workers,' Ramadoss said.
'To be honest, it wasn't Anbumani who made a mistake.
It was I, who made the mistake of appointing Anbumani a Union cabinet minister at the young age of 35, going against my own principles. If Anbumani is going to paint me as the culprit and seek sympathy from the cadre, then I have no choice but to respond. I will openly list out all the accusations against him,' said Ramadoss.
What should have been discussed within four walls was brought into the public arena by Anbumani, said Ramadoss.
'Who shattered the growth of the party? For the past 45 years, I have run this movement with discipline and dignity, just as Anna (late chief minister C N Annadurai) envisioned. But Anbumani has ruined it. I have silently endured many insults and mockery from opponents for the sake of the people. But when the very calf I raised attacked me in the chest, I lost my balance,' he said.
He said Anbumani has repeatedly been an obstacle to the party's growth and has made many mistakes.
'I had asked Tamil Kumaran, son of PMK honorary president G K Mani, to be involved in the movement's development. I gave him an appointment letter. But Anbumani tore it up immediately and told him over the phone to resign from the position. Tamil Kumaran had come to attend the general body meeting with his wife and children. But Anbumani called me that morning and said he should not be allowed to participate. How embarrassed and hurt would that family have been,' said Ramadoss.