"The term 'Mandal' (Mandal Commission) would bring to mind the names of a few leaders in Tamil Nadu. S Ramadoss is one of them," says a long-time loyalist of the Paatali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder.
"My wife got a government job because of him. My son is an advocate. His dream was also realised because of him," said the loyalist, Venkatesan.
"Maruthuvar (physician) Ayyah," is how followers like Venkatesan refer to the PMK founder.
Now in his late eighties, Ramadoss has been sidelined by his son, Anbumani, and is in the twilight of his political career. His long-time supporters appear troubled by the vertical split in the party. Venkatesan agrees that the party has been usurped by Anbumani.
The battle between father and son, who represent the Vanniyar community that constitute a little over 10 percent in the state's population, had come to a head in 2025 and Ramadoss' downfall started after Anbumani took over as party president in May 28, 2022.
Looking back, both father and son have made headlines for controversial reasons. For instance, they have been accused of being anti-Dalit and have strongly campaigned against inter-caste marriages.
Political scientist Ramu Manivannan described Ramadoss's decline as the "end of an era". He believes that under Anbumani, the party is entering a new phase.
Currently, Ramadoss appears to have little control over either his party or his family, Manivannan observed. He added that the split is both personal and political, and that Ramadoss should have accepted the transition gracefully and made way for his son.
In contrast, the mood in the Anbumani camp is upbeat. In a setback to senior Ramadoss, a city civil court on Thursday refused his plea to freeze the party's Mango symbol and directed him to approach the Election Commission of India (ECI) for relief.
Ramadoss is now contesting the upcoming Assembly elections in alliance with VK Sasikala's All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AIPTMK). Manivannan criticised this move as futile.
Ramadoss released his party's manifesto from his Thailapuram residence on Thursday. It promises a monthly assistance of Rs 3,000 to women heads of families holding ration cards and aims to ensure that students from rural and economically weaker sections receive education on par with the well-to-do.
Meanwhile, the Anbumani-led faction of the PMK has aligned with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the AIADMK and the BJP.
There is speculation that Anbumani, a former Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and current Rajya Sabha MP, may field his wife, Sowmiya Anbumani, in the election.
"We have released the first list of our candidates. The second list will be released soon, after which we will launch our campaign," a party source said.
Venkatesan, however, alleged, "Anbumani has taken everything from his father."
He further claimed, "In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Anbumani was forced by Amit Shah to join the BJP alliance, as cases against him were being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)."
Over the past couple of years, Ramadoss has made several attempts to reassert his authority over the party, but without success.
Last year, when their conflict reached a breaking point, Ramadoss expressed regret over making his son a minister in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2004, calling it a "big mistake". He also accused Anbumani of forcing him into an alliance with the BJP.
Ramadoss founded the Vanniyar Sangam in 1980. In 1987, the organisation led an agitation demanding Most Backward Class (MBC) status for Vanniyars. In 1989, the M Karunanidhi-led DMK government accepted the demand, granting reservation in education and employment. Ramadoss subsequently founded the PMK in July 1989.
In the 1991 Assembly elections, the PMK contested 194 seats but won only one. In 1996, it contested 116 seats and won four. Its high point came in 2001 when it contested 27 seats and won 20, with a vote share of 5.56 percent.
In 2006, it contested 31 seats and won 18, securing a 5.65 percent vote share. In 2011, it contested 30 seats and won three. In 2016, it contested 232 seats but failed to win any.
In the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, the PMK contested 23 seats as part of the AIADMK alliance and won five seats, with a vote share of 4.04 percent.
Anbumani entered politics in 2004 after completing his MBBS and a macroeconomics course from the London School of Economics. He became a Rajya Sabha member the same year and served as Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare in the Manmohan Singh government. In 2014, he was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Dharmapuri constituency when the PMK was part of the BJP-led NDA. He lost the same seat in 2019.
In the upcoming election, the PMK, led by Anbumani, will contest 18 seats. The party has also secured a Rajya Sabha berth.