It's either me or Anbumani, says Ramadoss on battle in PMK
Ramadoss clarified on Thursday that the meeting ended in a 'draw', hinting at a failure to reach a consensus
PMK Founder S Ramadoss and Anbumani Ramdoss
CHENNAI: Fissure between PMK founder Ramadoss and his son Anbumani is widening amid truce meetings as the senior on Thursday waged a bigger war on the junior, turning it into a do-or-die kind of battle.
Ramadoss, who is on a warpath against his son and party president Anbumani Ramadoss, said on Thursday that he had decided to see whether he triumphs or his son prevails and reaffirmed that he will hold the post of president for the next one or two years.
He rebuffed peace talks, saying that the June 5 meeting between Anbumani and Ramadoss didn’t yield results. Ramadoss clarified on Thursday that the meeting ended in a 'draw', hinting at a failure to reach a consensus.
Speaking to media persons at his Thailapuram residence in Villupuram district, the senior leader said that he had asked Anbumani to meet the party's honorary secretary, GK Mani and Social Improvement Society president, Sivaprakasam. "Even before the Vanniyar Youth Conference, I informed Anbumani that I was ready to abdicate the post of party president and meet the leaders. But he did not believe me and refused to meet them. If he had trusted me, I would have given the post in one or two years," he said.
Expressing that the incident affected him, he added that he had decided to see who would win after the incident. "Moreover, he insulted me by preventing district secretaries from taking part in a meeting convened by me. Also, he expected me to stay inside and play with my great-grandchildren. I have been with people for 46 years. Cadre and people are with me," he said.
Saying that he had built the party brick by brick, he asked, "Don't I have the right to lead the party for one or two years?"
The statement made by Ramadoss is yet another setback for the party, which is vying for a significant victory in the upcoming Assembly elections after failing to win any seat in the previous Lok Sabha elections.
Despite his father’s assertion, Anbumani maintains that he is the president of the party as the general council elected him for the post three years ago. However, Ramadoss pointed out that the tenure is only for 3 years, which has ended already, he said.
