CHENNAI: The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) faction led by Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday said that it has received a letter from the Election Commission of India (ECI), accepting the resolution passed at the party’s general council convened on August 9 in Mahabalipuram extending Anbumani’s tenure as party president until August 2026. The PMK bloc headed by founder Dr S Ramadoss, however, has disputed the claim.
Anbumani faction’s spokesperson and advocate K Balu, speaking to reporters in Chennai, contended that the ECI’s letter was a recognition that Dr Anbumani is the president of PMK. “There should not be any confusion over factions. The party led by Anbumani is the PMK. No one should refer to this group or that group,” he said, while reiterating that the party’s founder remains its guiding force.
Reading out from the ECI’s letter, dated September 9 and signed by under secretary Love Kush Yadav, Balu said, “... the party’s request for extension of the term of office bearers till August 2026, has been acceded to by the competent authority.”
‘ECI can rule only if PMK groups approach it’
ECI has also sent the letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu, he said.
On Thursday, when party founder Ramadoss announced the expulsion of Anbumani from the party, further precipitating the internal feud, Balu had said that ECI had recognised Anbumani’s leadership, but did not provide any specifics.
Soon after Balu met the press on Monday, Salem West MLA R Arul, a loyalist of senior Ramadoss, rejected Balu’s claim. He said the party’s official address had been changed from 63, Nattu Muthu Nayakkan Street to 13, Thilak Street in T Nagar without the founder’s knowledge, and alleged that the ECI’s letter went to the new address.
He added that a resolution passed at the general council convened by Ramadoss has also been submitted to the ECI, affirming the leader as both the founder and the president.
Arul stressed that from the party’s election symbol to its flag, every element was Ramadoss’ vision and creation, and therefore no one could take it away from him. “He (Anbumani) may be the son, but that does not grant him the power to steal the party,” Arul stated.
Rejecting any talk of a split within the PMK, Arul asserted, “There is only one party, and it stands united under Ramadoss’ leadership.” While some leaders may leave or shift, the cadre base remains loyal to the founder, he added.
A former top official of the ECI, commenting on the developments, said the commission can decide only after both the factions approach it with a dispute. In the absence of that, such letters sent by the ECI would not be the final word in the dispute, he added.