Chennai, May 30 (PTI) PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss struck a belligerent note on Friday, asserting that the party was still under his control as he was duly elected by PMK’s general council.
Also, his position as party president was recognised by the Election Commission of India, he said at a meeting of PMK’s district office-bearers at Sholinganallur here.
Through the meeting, which came a day after his father and PMK founder-president Dr S Ramadoss accused him of lacking leadership qualities and going against party rules, the junior Ramadoss asserted that he held the party’s reins with him.
On April 9, the eve of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Chennai, Ramadoss announced that he was taking full control of the PMK as its founder and president. He relegated his son to the position of working president.
On May 29, he convened a press conference at his Thailapuram residence in Villupuram district and claimed that he made a mistake in facilitating his son to become a union minister, by going against his principles.
The 85-year-old leader had said, "I made a mistake in having made my son Anbumani a union minister when he was 35. He forced an alliance with the BJP during the 2024 Lok Sabha election."
He also accused his 56-year-old son of hurling a bottle at his mother at the family gathering during the Pongal festival, for commenting that Anbumani would have remained silent had his second daughter been made the party’s youth wing president instead of his nephew. "The bottle, however, missed the target and hit the wall… like a ball that bounces back, he has been opposing me and tarnished the party’s image through his behaviour," Ramadoss alleged.
Anbumani, however, denied this charge today and said his mother was dear to him.
He later handed over letters ratifying the appointment of Tilagabama as party treasurer and other office-bearers who were removed from their respective posts by senior Ramadoss recently.
At the district secretaries meeting, Anbumani said that he was prepared to work hard as ‘a cadre among them’ for the development of the party and state. "Positions may come and go but what is permanent is your love and affection," Anbumani told the party workers who responded with a thunderous applause.
The current meeting was mainly to initiate a membership drive and this event was being held once every three years, he said.
"I was elected by the PMK general council and recognised by the Election Commission of India. … PMK is not me or anyone else, you are the PMK. Without you, there is nothing. PMK is not anyone's private property," he said.
He, however, hailed his father as the custodian of social justice who launched the party. "There is no other party in Tamil Nadu that has such excellent principles as our party. Our goal is the development of Tamil Nadu. Therefore, there should be no differences among us. Everyone should work together," he said.