Did PMK founder Ramadoss reach a stalemate in talks with son Anbumani?

Chennai, June 12 (NationPress) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S. Ramadoss announced on Thursday that attempts to reconcile with his son and party working president Anbumani Ramadoss have resulted in a stalemate, describing the outcome as a "draw".

During a press conference at his residence in Thailapuram, Villupuram district, Ramadoss expressed his intention to continue leading the party until the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

"Those who once revered me as their kulasamy (family deity) and proclaimed that 'Ayya is everything' have betrayed me," he lamented.

"Those who have reduced me to a walking corpse are now staging a padayatra in my name. It's all a performance, and everyone is merely acting," Ramadoss remarked.

Addressing the internal power struggle within the party, the 85-year-old leader asserted his right to lead the organization for another one or two years.

"A disciple can sometimes surpass his guru, but a son should never attempt to outshine his father. That violates dharma," he stated.

Having previously demoted Anbumani from party president to working president, Ramadoss revealed that numerous discussions have taken place to resolve the deadlock.

He disclosed that just two weeks prior to the party's Mamallapuram conference, he was willing to resign as party president.

"However, Anbumani did not place his trust in me. He insisted that everything be documented, claiming I was unreliable. Now, we are at a pivotal juncture - either it’s him or me," Ramadoss declared.

Despite the ongoing tensions, he affirmed that the current situation will remain unchanged until the 2026 elections.

"Our objective is to secure at least 50 seats and strengthen our alliance. I will not take any measures to expel Anbumani from the party's primary membership," he clarified.

In a deeply personal reflection, Ramadoss conveyed that he felt as though he had "poked his own eyes with his fingers" by allowing Anbumani to assume control.

"Anbumani desires for me to stay home and spend time with my grandchildren. But I built this party from the ground up," he said, accusing Anbumani of attempting to push him out of active politics.

Ramadoss also claimed that most district presidents boycotted a meeting he organized after Anbumani influenced them not to attend.

"I felt humiliated. Had he remained silent, power would have naturally come to him. However, misinformation circulated that I intended to take action against him," he noted.

Recalling a recent incident, Ramadoss mentioned that Anbumani expressed his ambition to take charge of the party during their visit to New Delhi for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony.

"I remained silent and returned quietly to Thailapuram," he concluded.