PMK to Determine Strategy for 2026 Assembly Elections During Chithirai Pournami Festival in May
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Synopsis
On March 24, the PMK, representing the Vanniyar community, announced a critical decision for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, set to be revealed at the Chithirai Pournami festival in Mamallapuram on May 12. With plans for a massive rally, the PMK aims to address key demands regarding caste rights and development issues.
Key Takeaways
- PMK to unveil alliance strategy for 2026 elections.
- Massive rally planned at Chithirai Pournami festival.
- Focus on caste-based rights and development issues.
- Call for a caste census and increased reservation limits.
- Event marks a critical juncture for PMK's political future.
Chennai, March 24 (NationPress) The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), representing the significant Vanniyar community, is poised to make a pivotal decision about its alliances for the upcoming 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
This revelation is anticipated during a public gathering at Mamallapuram on May 12, coinciding with the Chithirai Pournami festival.
Sources within the PMK indicate that the party, in collaboration with its parent organization, the Vanniyar Sangam, aims to gather at least ten lakh individuals for the event. This considerable rally will not only demonstrate their strength but also serve as a platform to advocate for essential demands, particularly concerning caste-based rights and development issues.
Following its alignment with the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the PMK is open to reassessing its political approach.
The forthcoming Chithirai Pournami meeting could mark a significant shift in alliance strategies as the 2026 elections approach. This rally, the first in 12 years, will highlight the DMK government's inability to execute the 10.5 per cent internal reservation for Vanniyars within the Most Backward Classes (MBC) quota.
It will also advocate for a comprehensive caste census to guarantee fair representation for all communities.
PMK leaders have stressed that the rally will concentrate on development issues and will avoid inflammatory remarks against other communities. Key demands include the need for a caste census in Tamil Nadu, raising the 69 per cent reservation cap, and implementing targeted development initiatives for underprivileged districts.
The PMK leadership views this rally as a vital step toward redefining the party’s political trajectory.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, PMK was allied with the BJP and AIADMK and currently holds five seats in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
Established in 1980 by Dr. S. Ramadoss, the Vanniyar Sangam unified various Vanniyar caste groups and played a crucial role in the 1987 Vanniyar reservation agitation.
This protest sought MBC status for Vanniyars and resulted in significant unrest throughout Tamil Nadu.
During the height of the agitation, the state experienced severe disruptions for a week—highways blocked, trees uprooted, and over 1,400 homes belonging to Dalit families were destroyed. Police actions led to the deaths of 21 protesters. In response, the DMK government granted MBC status to the Vanniyars in 1989, providing access to reservation benefits in education and employment.
That same year, Dr. Ramadoss founded the PMK, which has since evolved into a formidable political entity in the state.
