The founder of PMK S. Ramadoss deals with the PMK cadre at a meeting in Salem with his son Anbumani Ramadoss sitting next to him. File | Photo Credit: E. Lakshmi Narayanan
ANDN 2011, during the preparation for the elections to the Tamil Nadu assembly, the leader pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) S. Ramadoss visited the leader of DMK M. Karunanidhi in his residence Goopalapuram to invite him to his family wedding. Karunanidhi did not lack the opportunity to lose PMK to the Alliance led by DMK, although PMK questioned Lok Sabha’s elections in 2009 as part of the AIADMK Alliance. In these elections, PMK could not get a single chair, although he was considered a powerful ally who was able to tilt the scales of victory for any alliance. Yet this party’s perception was a strong ally, Karunanidhi led them generously to assign 30 seats on PMK and close the alliance. However, PMK managed to secure only three seats, which proves that its decline began in 2009.
Dr. Ramadoss, a medical physician according to the qualification, has always played his political cards carefully and switched the alliance from one choice to another, but failed to assess the changing sands of Tamil Nadu policy. In 2009, PMK suffered defeat by harmonizing with AIADMK. It was again directed in public opinion surveys in 2011. The establishment of Desiya Murpoku birds of birds of prey Kazhagam led by actor Vijayakant in 2005 also darkened the influence of PMK in many areas.
The party has never been able to recover its past glory, although it was part of the Union government from 1998 to 2009. During that time, Anbumani Ramadoss, son of Dr. Ramadossa, health portfolio (2004-09). Today, despite its organizational power and vanniyars support, its base base, the party finds itself at the intersection due to the growing disintegration between Dr. Ramadossem and Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss.
In the age of 80, Dr. Ramadoss mobilized Vanniyars by promoting his claim for most of the back class status. After the DMK government kept Karunanidhi granted 20% of the reservation by grouping several communities, including Vanniyars, Ramadoss founded PMK. In a symbolic gesture reminiscent of Pilo Mods, Dr. Ramadoss sent Panruti S. Ramacandran, a lonely MLA PMK in 1991, to a assembly that goes to the elephant – the symbol he won. The party led well in the elections to the Assembly 1996, 2001 and 2006.
PMK entered the national phase when Dr. Ramadoss attached to AIADMK-BJP Alliance in 1998 and secured the anchorage of the trade union cabinet for Dalit Ezhilmai, the general secretary of the party. He stayed with BJP even after Jayalithaa overthrew the rule led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This paid off when BJP-DMK Combine achieved good profits in 1999. In 2004, together with DMK joined the United Progressive Alliance Congress and Anbumani Ramadoss became the Minister of the Union in the government of Manmohan Singh.
Dr. Ramadoss, who once acted as a bridge between Vanniyars and Dalits, also tried to get rid of the image that he was only a Vanniyar side by placing Tamil identity and working closely with the leader Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi. Thirumavalavan and Tamil nationalist leader Paz Nedumaran. Subsequent electoral defeats, however, forced him to have a refuge in the case -based policy. He even led a campaign focused on planned castes (SCS), accused his youth of wearing jeans and sunglasses, and attracted girls from other communities for their wealth. In 2012, Dharmapuri Ilavarasana, a man who married Divya, a woman vanniyar, caused the tragic death of Vanniyar, deep damage to the PMK image. Since then it has not been able to get rid of the image of “vanniyar party”.
The current war of the words between Father and Son exceeded all the limits and shocked observers who have followed PMK for decades. Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss has always said that his father is his role model and recognized his organizational skills.
The absence of political power and influence seems to have caused Dr. Ramadoss desperate and angry. Probably developing the last efforts to ensure a stable future for the party, because the political space of Tamil Nadu is too crowded. His ego will not even allow his son to interfere with his schemes. He knows well that Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, who quickly rose in the party, could overshadow him, and he’s not ready for that. Neither his family members nor outsiders, including Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideologist S. Gurumurtha, cannot convince the non -refurbished Dr. Ramadossa.
Published – June 12, 2025 01:20
