PMK founder leader Dr S. Ramadoss and his son Anbumani Ramadoss clashed with each other openly in front of the party functionaries and cadres during the party's special general council meeting held at Puducherry on Saturday.
An argument broke out between father and son over the appointment of the party's youth wing president. Ramadoss had appointed Parasuraman Mukundan, son of his elder daughter Gandhimathi, as the youth wing president to which Anbumani objected saying that Mukundan doesn’t have experience. As soon as Ramadoss announced the name of Mukundan, Anbumani who was sitting next to him raised an objection and asked, “How can a person who joined the party just four months ago be given a post?”
Irked by Anbumani’s objection, senior Ramadoss immediately raised his voice saying, “This is my party. I founded this party and I only have the right to make any decision. People who cannot abide by my decision cannot continue in this party.”
A visibly upset Anbumani murmured, “athu sari” (that's right!). An angry senior Ramadoss again retorted saying, “if you want to go then go.” He then reiterated: “I am again saying that Mukundan is appointed as the youth wing president of the party. You all should clap hands for him.”
Once again shaken by his father’s comments, Anbumani said that he had opened an office at Panaiyur on the outskirts of Chennai. He shared his number and said that anyone who wants to meet him can call him and meet him at his Panaiyur office.
The war of words and Ramadoss’s reaction to Anbumani’s objection have turned into an embarrassment for the family and the party functionaries.
The PMK founded in 1989 by Ramadoss had championed the Vanniyar cause since its inception. Once Ramadoss had said that no one from his family would come into direct politics and if anyone came they could be beaten with a whip that was hanging on a wall at his house. However, time and again Ramadoss himself objected to this, saying that his statement was misinterpreted.
Since 2003, PMK saw the rise of Anbumani within the party ranks, from being the youth wing leader. After Anbumani moved up the party hierarchy as the deputy leader, GKM Thamilkumaran, son of PMK’s Honorary president G.K. Mani held the post from 2022. However, Thamilkumaran quit the post last year, after he got involved in cinema and turned into a full-time producer working for Lyca Productions. The youth wing president post has been vacant since Thamilkumaran quit.
