CHENNAI: In yet another dramatic development in the stretched-out tussle playing out within the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), the party’s two MLAs --its Assembly floor leader GK Mani and R Arul -- were admitted to separate hospitals in Chennai on June 18, reportedly due to 'sudden' illness.
The timing of the event has led to allegations by a section of PMK functionaries and cadres that the two were 'enacting a drama' to avoid attending the district general council meetings scheduled by party president Anbumani Ramadoss on June 19.
Anbumani has been organising these meetings to consolidate his support base among the party functionaries amidst the ongoing rift between him and his father and party founder S Ramadoss.
The two MLAs are believed to have extended their loyalty towards Ramadoss, while the remaining three MLAs of the party have already extended their support explicitly to Anbumani.
G K Mani is the honorary president of the PMK and represents Pennagaram constituency. Arul represents the Salem West constituency.
The latter is also the district secretary of the party’s Salem urban unit.
Since the rift came out in public between Ramadoss and Anbumani over the control of the party, Arul and Mani have consistently attended only those events organised by the PMK founder at his residence in Thailapuram in Villupuram district.
However, they had publicly maintained a neutral stance, claiming they were striving for reconciliation between the father and son.
Likening the two leaders of the party to their two eyes, the two MLAs had said they cannot choose one over the other and stressed that unity was essential for the welfare of the party and the Vanniyar community it largely represented.
Mani’s close aide, Gingi Saravanan, shared a photograph of the MLA in a private hospital, which marked the first instance of such an outreach to the media from the party’s old timer, which was seen as an indication of his inclination to side with Ramadoss.
MLA Arul’s supporters told TNIE that he had been in the ICU at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi-Speciality Hospital since this afternoon, and the doctors said that he would be discharged by Thursday afternoon.
While both leaders are reportedly in stable condition, sources said their absence appeared to be a deliberate attempt to avoid endorsing the authority of Anbumani.
Shifting loyalties?
The two MLAs are believed to have extended their loyalty towards Sr Ramadoss, while the remaining three MLAs of the party have already extended their support explicitly to Anbumani. Mani is the honorary president of the PMK and represents Pennagaram constituency, while Arul represents Salem West.
