Despite reiterating that the PMK will not align with any of the Dravidian or national parties for the Lok Sabha elections, party founder S Ramadoss on Monday did not rule out a post-poll pact with them, passing the responsibility of making that decision to the outfit’s General Council.
“I alone do not make the party. The General Council is supreme. The day after the results come out, it will meet and decide on whom to support and not to support,” he said at a press conference here while announcing the first list of candidates for the parliamentary polls.
As reported by Express earlier, the list of five included party heavyweights such as former union minister R Velu and AK Moorthy, who would contest from Arakonam and Arni constituencies respectively. Party president G K Mani will seek election from Krishnagiri and youth wing secretary R Arul from Salem. The party will field R K R Anantharaman in Puducherry.
However, the constituency that will see former union minister Anbumani Ramadoss contest did not find a place in the first list, though it was reiterated on Monday that he would indeed be in the fray. Ramadoss said the alliance of community outfits that party was forming would be called “Social Democratic Alliance.” The alliance would pitch for bringing in a change of leadership in the State which has seen the DMK and the AIADMK alternate in the saddle. Ramadoss said that constituents of the alliance were a “secret”. The list of five contestants has been released after consent of the alliance partners and the second list will be out soon. The alliance will contest 40 seats in TN and Puducherry. On the reason for releasing candidates’ list almost six months prior to the elections, he said the alliance would need more time to take its campaign to the people.