PMK plot thickens as Ramadoss brings in daughter Srigandhi
"The chances of a reconciliation are very low after Iyah (Ramadoss) has brought his daughter to the fore. First he opposed Sowmya (wife of Anbumani) joining politics, but now brings his own daughter into it," the party leader said.
PMK founder S Ramadoss
CHENNAI: The fissure in the PMK has returned to a point of no return as senior Ramadoss projected his daughter Srigandhi as an alternative to his warring son Anbumani. While Ramadoss has not spoken of any post he had planned for his daughter in the immediate future, cadres have lost all hopes of a reconciliation between the father-son duo.
A senior leader in the Anbumani camp observed that the party founder, S Ramadoss, who declared himself as the president by relegating his son to the post of working president, is continuously making decisions that would jeopardise the last remaining comradeship between the cadres.
"The chances of a reconciliation are very low after Iyah (Ramadoss) has brought his daughter to the fore. First he opposed Sowmya (wife of Anbumani) joining politics, but now brings his own daughter into it," the party leader said.
On Tuesday, Anbumani held a governing body meeting in Chennai while Ramadoss chaired the executive council meeting in Tindivanam. Ramadoss, flanked by honorary secretary GK Mani and former union minister AK Moorthy and others, allowed Srigandhi on the stage, while Anbumani told the governing body that his father’s meeting was against the party norms as the power to convene the meetings is vested upon the president and the general secretary. Vadivel Ravanan, the present general secretary of the party, is an Anbumani loyalist.
Meanwhile, an unfazed Ramadoss, on Thursday, ignored questions from the media on his plans for Srigandhi in the party. He instead hummed 'poga poga theriyum', a song from an old Tamil movie, roughly translated as ‘it will be known when the time arrives’.
Srigandhi is the mother of Mukundan Parasuraman, who was earlier appointed as the president of the youth wing, much to the chagrin of Ramadoss, who had immediately opposed the move. Amid the tiff between father and son, Mukundan resigned his post.
Speaking to DT Next, Salem West MLA Arul Ramadas, who was recently expelled from the party by Anbumani for his open support to Ramadoss, said the party will have a chance in elections only if it remains united.
Cadres torn between loyalty to son, respect for father
When asked about the outcome of giving importance to Srigandhi, Arul maintained there is no link between the elevation of Srigandhi and the issues in the party. He further stated the party will not weaken due to the present issues and PMK cadres will not defect to other parties due to the fissure.
It can be recalled that while addressing the gathering in the meeting conducted by Ramadoss, Arul praised Srigandhi as the backbone of Ramadoss and the person who remains as a medicine to the mental stress of the senior leader.
K Balu, PMK spokesperson and supporter of Anbumani, told DT Next the authority to convene meetings is with the president and general secretary. "Meetings conducted without the president (Anbumani), general secretary (Vadivel Ravanan) and treasurer (Thilagabama) have no validity. Our wish is to see a united PMK. Also, we have high regards for Iyah (Ramadoss)," he said.
Commenting on the reports of Ramadoss sending a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking to recognise him as the PMK president, Balu, who is an advocate, said anyone can send a letter to the ECI, but the question is whether the ECI accepts it or not.
"The ECI has accepted Anbumani as the party president and only the general council has the power to remove the president," he clarified.
