Latest news with #VanniyarYouthConference
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Over 200 PMK district office-bearers stay away from meeting called by Ramadoss
More than 200 of the 216 district presidents and secretaries of the PMK did not turn up for a meeting called by party founder S. Ramadoss at his Thailapuram residence in Villupuram on Friday. While Salem West MLA R. Arul and PMK floor leader and Dr. Ramadoss's loyalist G.K. Mani were in attendance, party sources said less than 10% of the district presidents and secretaries took part. 'The PMK has a total of 108 party districts, each of which has a district president and district secretary. I heard that only 13 office-bearers took part, including six district secretaries and seven district presidents,' a senior leader said. Addressing a press conference in Villupuram, Dr. Ramadoss explained the intention behind calling for the meeting. 'This is the first meeting to be held after the Vanniyar Youth Conference. General secretary Vadivel Ravanan, honorary president G.K. Mani, Arul and many others have attended it. The reason for this meeting is to exchange ideas and discuss strategies which would ensure that the PMK wins 50 Assembly seats even if it contests the election alone,' he said. When asked why a majority of the party's office-bearers had given the meeting a miss, Dr. Ramadoss said, 'Some of them may have been tired because they had worked hard for the success of the Vanniyar Youth Conference, braving the heat. However, they spoke on the phone with me. They have explained why they couldn't come to the meeting.' A senior party leader said there was credible information that Dr. Ramadoss had decided to take action on his son and party leader Anbumani Ramadoss in the presence of all the district presidents and secretaries. 'Fearing they would be made a party to his decision, most of the district presidents and secretaries didn't attend the meeting. It is clear that the party's office-bearers lean towards Dr. Anbumani,' he said. 'The intention behind the meeting had been misunderstood. Dr. Anbumani was expected to come today. However, there was a rumour that Dr. Anbumani was being formally removed. In fact, I went to see Ayya (S. Ramadoss) to ensure that such a thing does not happen; but that wasn't the case at all. Dr. Anbumani is our future and the Chief Ministerial candidate of our party. However, the Vanniyar community stands firmly behind Dr. Ramadoss first, and Dr. Anbumani,' Mr. Arul told The Hindu.
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Senior leaders upset at Ramadoss over his speech during Vanniyar conference
If one goes only by the huge crowds that kept entering Mamallapuram on May 11, the Vanniyar Youth Conference should be declared a definite success. However, PMK founder S. Ramadoss' concluding speech — wherein he had hinted at 'groups being formed within the party' and insisted that he would take the final call on an alliance — has taken the focus away from the success of the conference to festering internal disagreements over who is likely to wield power in the PMK, especially with the Assembly election being less than a year away. Speaking after his son and PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss hit out at the DMK over the caste census and internal reservation for Vanniyars within the MBC quota, Dr. Ramadoss began his address with a stern warning to the DMK, but digressed towards the non-performance of his party's office-bearers and 'factions in the PMK'. 'You are not working hard. I am ready to work hard even at this age. Our people are not voting for us. It should not be the case. I will decide on the alliance, you don't have to worry about it. We are tracking your progress. You cannot do anything by resorting to flattery from now on. There are alliances within the party. You correct yourself...,' Dr. Ramadoss had said. When asked why Dr. Ramadoss was so critical of the party's functioning, giving rise to speculations of unresolved issues between him and Dr. Anbumani, a section of second line leaders in the party said the general feeling was that Dr. Anbumani was the future. While agreeing that there were leaders in the party who still backed Dr. Ramadoss, a senior leader said that the PMK's second line leaders felt that, of late, Dr. Ramadoss was 'putting them in a difficult situation'. He, however, stressed that the leaders gave Dr. Ramadoss the respect he deserved. 'We are tolerating what he [Dr. Ramadoss] is saying these days. He should have ended his speech after the demand for [internal] reservation. However, we as partymen, have heard this speech within four walls so many times. It is only new to you [members of the public]. We will give him the respect he deserves, but the party is firmly with Dr. Anbumani. After all, a decision on the alliance will be taken by the general council...; and we are a part of it. The majority of us will not accept any unilateral decision taken by him [Dr. Ramadoss],' the senior leader said. Another well-known PMK leader said Dr. Ramadoss' speech was 'shocking' and typical of 'old men in every household'. 'His speech was shocking for us. He is a veteran leader, who has achieved a lot in Tamil Nadu politics. But here [at the conference], he was speaking about personal issues that had no relevance to party, cadre or the community. The party will have to move on with Dr. Anbumani,' he added.
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
PMK announces ₹5 lakh solatium to kin of cadre killed in accident enroute to Mamallapuram
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday condoled the death of a party cadre Vijay hailing from Maruvathur near Vaitheeswaran Koil, in a road accident enroute to the Vanniyar Youth Conference held in Mamallapuram on Sunday. He announced a solatium of ₹5 lakh to his family. Five other cadre who had accompanied Vijay in the same vehicle are being given the best treatment possible, he said.
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
SC population is closer to 23.7% says VCK general secretary D. Ravikumar
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi's general secretary and Villupuram M.P D. Ravikumar, on Monday has contradicted one of the resolutions passed by Pattali Makkal Katchi in the Vanniyar Youth Conference which demanded the reservations of the Scheduled Castes in Tamil Nadu to be increased by 2%. In a social media post, Mr. Ravikumar asked how the party had arrived at the figure of 2% when the population of the scheduled castes are much higher. 'What is this number of 2%? It may be acceptable according to the 2011 population census. However, according to the Tamil Nadu Household Panel Survey's Pre-Baseline Survey of 2018-19 funded by State Government, the population of the Scheduled Caste is 23.7% in Tamil Nadu,' he said.
The Hindu
11-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
After 12 years, PMK hopes to display its hold among Vanniyar community
Several lakh youth, mostly Vanniyars, are expected to congregate at the Vanniyar Youth Conference in Mamallapuram being organised by the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) after a gap of 12 years on Sunday (May 11, 2025) evening. On both sides of the East Coast Road, party cadres have put up banners of PMK founder S. Ramadoss and president Anbumani Ramadoss and other leaders, including the late 'Kaduvetti' Guru, who was known for making incendiary speeches. Extensive security and seating arrangements have been made for the event, which would be an opportunity for the party to exhibit its strength a year ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. This morning, former PMK president G.K. Mani and senior leader A.K. Moorthy oversaw preparations as the cadres began trickling into the venue. Twelve years ago, when the PMK organised the massive Chithirai Pournami Youth Conference, the party was in a very different place. In 2006, PMK had won in 18 Assembly seats and believed it was destined for bigger things in Tamil Nadu politics. Despite winning just 3 seats in 2011 in alliance with the DMK, it harboured great ambition; it wanted to lead an alliance without the Dravidian parties. The PMK joined the NDA in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections with Dr. Anbumani winning the Dharmapuri seat. In 2016 Assembly polls, it went solo projecting him as Chief Ministerial candidate but failed to make a mark. It was also during this period, the party pursued a sharp-edged caste politics, in particular rallying against inter-caste marriages involving Schedule Caste youth and caste Hindu women. In November 2012, large scale violence unfolded in Natham Colony, a SC hamlet in Naickenkottai of Dharmapuri district after a Vanniyar woman fell in love with an inhabitant of the village. Subsequently, in 2013, violence erupted between Vanniyar youth and SCs in Marakkanam as they were en route to attend the Youth Conference. Senior leaders including Ramadoss and his son were arrested, which had resulted in further violence. Much has changed in the State politics since then. Today, PMK has 5 MLAs, no representation in the Lok Sabha and it remains uncertain if would cease to have a representation in the Rajya Sabha soon as Dr. Anbumani's term is due to end. Years of pursuing pro-Vanniyar politics has resulted in non-Vanniyar counter consolidation against the PMK in several elections, severely affecting its fortunes. It also appears to have temporarily given up its ambitions of capturing power in the State for practical reasons. The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, which largely seeks to represent the interests of the Scheduled Castes and oppressed sections, and considers the PMK as its political rival, has become a party recognised by the Election Commission of India and has settled on a firm 'secular' ideological plank. Joining the AIADMK alliance in 2019, the PMK found it tough to improve its strike rate. It lost in all seven parliamentary constituencies it contested. In 2021, AIADMK government enacted a law to provide 10.5% internal reservations to Vanniyars within the MBC quota on the last day of the Assembly session before the notification of the Assembly elections. That year, the party contested in 23 Assembly constituencies, winning just five. The law was struck down by the Supreme Court subsequently due to lack of relevant and recent data. As part of BJP-led NDA in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it again failed to win a single seat, with Dr. Anbumani's wife, Sowmya Anbumani, losing a close contest in Dharmapuri. All of this has meant that the new president, under whose supervision this conference is being organised, has had to pivot and reinvent the party. Dr Anbumani has sought to sidestep the anti-VCK/anti-Dalit rhetoric and has demanded appropriate representation for all backward and scheduled caste communities through caste enumeration. Though internal party conflict between Dr. Ramadoss and his son came to the fore recently, party sources have said the rally would be an opportunity to show that the support for the party has only grown among the young people. With Dr. Anbumani reiterating to his cadres to maintain strict discipline, the party leaders expressed confidence that the conference, which became a talking point for all the wrong reasons 12 years ago, will be successful and that it would show that PMK continues to retain the support of the Vanniyar community.
