Anbumani Ramadoss Alleges PMK Founder Medically Unfit for Administrative Role
In a significant development within the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), former Union minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss has made serious allegations regarding the leadership capacity of his father, Dr S Ramadoss, the 87-year-old founder of the party. Anbumani asserted that due to advanced age and associated medical conditions, his father is not in a position to make administrative decisions for the political organization.
Legal Battle Over Party Symbols and Authority
The statements were made in response to a civil suit filed by S Ramadoss, seeking to restrain Anbumani from using the party name, flag, and its election symbol, the 'mango'. Anbumani countered by highlighting that during the formation of the PMK, his father had resolved not to hold any official position, a principle enshrined in the party's bylaws.
"Since he resolved not to hold any position or post in the party during its formation, in consonance with the declaration, the bylaws of PMK were framed in such a manner that the founder would not exercise administrative or executive authority over the party," Anbumani stated, emphasizing the legal framework designed to limit the founder's role.
Allegations of Misleading Influence and Unilateral Actions
Anbumani further accused a small fringe group of exploiting his father's age and health issues to mislead him, actions he described as detrimental to the PMK's interests. He claimed that at the instigation of these individuals, S Ramadoss unilaterally declared himself as the PMK president on April 10, 2025.
"Taking advantage of his age and health issues, a small fringe group of people joined together and started to mislead Ramadoss, acting detrimentally to the interests of the political party. At the instigation of a few individuals who acted against the interests of the PMK, Ramadoss unilaterally declared himself as the PMK president on April 10, 2025," Anbumani elaborated, painting a picture of internal manipulation.
Formal Communication with Election Commission and Bylaw Clarifications
In response to these developments, Anbumani revealed that the party has formally informed the Election Commission about the situation. He stressed that the unilateral actions by the founder and the fringe group are not binding under the party's regulations.
"We duly informed the Election Commission that the unilateral actions of the founder and the fringe group were not binding upon the party. The unilateral declaration has absolutely no legal sanctity under the party's bylaws," he affirmed, underscoring the lack of legal standing for the self-appointment.
Anbumani clarified the founder's role as per the bylaws, stating, "As per the bylaws, the founder of the party has only an advisory and guiding role and does not possess any authority to appoint himself to any office or to override decisions of the state general council." This statement reinforces the party's internal governance structure, which restricts the founder from assuming executive powers.
The dispute highlights deepening rifts within the PMK, with potential implications for its future direction and electoral strategies. The legal and political ramifications of this conflict are likely to unfold in the coming months, as both sides seek to assert control over the party's identity and operations.
