CHENNAI: A day after PMK founder S Ramadoss’s loyalist and MLA GK Mani moved the Election Commission of India (ECI) challenging Anbumani’s claim of securing a one-year extension of his tenure as president through a general council, Anbumani issued a letter stating that the party has replaced Mani with its Dharmapuri MLA S P Venkateshwaran as the new floor leader in the Assembly.
The letter also said Salem West MLA R Arul has been replaced by Mailam MLA C Sivakumar as PMK’s whip in the Assembly, while Mettur MLA S Sadhasival has been elected as PMK’s deputy floor leader.
Three of the five PMK legislators supporting Anbumani, led by spokesperson K Balu, met the Assembly secretary and submitted the letter confirming these changes. Balu later told reporters that Arul had already been removed from all party responsibilities, though he continued to remain a legislator. “He cannot represent the PMK in any official capacity,” he said.
Balu added that the PMK general council, at its August 9 meeting in Mahabalipuram, had endorsed Anbumani’s leadership, and a copy of the resolutions has been submitted to the ECI.
“The election commission has also allotted the mango symbol to him,” he contended. Sr Ramadoss, reacting to the developments on Thursday, dismissed them as mere drama. “In such a drama, all kinds of characters will appear; even a clown will come,” he said.Meanwhile, Arul submitted a letter to chief secretary N Muruganandam requesting additional security for Sr Ramadoss and the installation of a metal detector at the entrance of the leader’s Villupuram residence.