VILLUPURAM: Asserting that he held complete authority over the party, PMK founder S Ramadoss has said only those who stood by him in the ongoing tussle with his son and party president Anbumani Ramadoss and those who attended the consultative meeting held at his residence in Thailapuram on Wednesday would be considered to contest the 2026 Assembly election.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Sr Ramadoss said the PMK’s electoral alliance is yet to be finalised. “I can’t reveal more at the moment, but it will be a good, distinct, and victorious alliance,” he said.
The meeting was attended by district secretaries, state-level functionaries, and party leaders appointed recently by Ramadoss. These appointments have not been recognised by a majority of functionaries in Anbumani’s camp. PMK honorary president and Assembly floor leader GK Mani was notably absent due to health reasons.
Among the party’s four MLAs, three have expressed support for Anbumani, while Salem West MLA R Arul backs Sr Ramadoss. On Wednesday, Ramadoss announced Arul’s elevation as joint general secretary of the party. “Those who attended this meeting are the future MLAs. I have full authority,” Ramadoss said.
When asked about his critical remarks made against leaders of the Dravidian movement ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy and CN Annadurai at the Murugan conference in Madurai, Ramadoss, after a long pause, said, “No one should be insulted,” without elaborating.
Meanwhile, MLA Arul, reacting to Anbumani’s insinuation that his recent hospitalisation was an excuse to skip a district-level meeting, said, “Would someone get admitted to a hospital just to avoid a meeting? The cause was mental stress.”