The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) is embroiled in a deepening internal crisis, with the faction led by its president, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, declaring a key party meeting convened by the rival group as illegitimate. The faction has officially stated that the general council meeting called by party founder Dr. S Ramadoss for December 29 in Salem is not an official PMK event.
Faction Denounces Salem Gathering
In a strongly-worded statement, the Anbumani Ramadoss-led group clarified its position. It asserted that the party leadership had issued no official announcement authorizing the Salem gathering, which was being convened without proper sanction. The statement went a step further to declare that any resolutions passed during this December 29 meeting would not be binding on the party as a whole.
Invoking Party Rules for Legitimacy
The faction based its argument on the PMK's own organizational rulebook. Specifically citing rules 15 and 16, the statement outlined the proper protocol for convening a general council or any related meeting. According to these rules, such a meeting can only be called by the party president and general secretary who have been duly elected by the general council itself.
Furthermore, the meeting must be held under the chairmanship of the legitimately elected party president. By this definition, the Anbumani faction implies that the Salem meeting, convened by the party founder S Ramadoss, lacks this critical procedural legitimacy.
Implications of the Internal Rift
This public disavowal signals a significant and open rift within the Tamil Nadu-based party. It creates a clear public divide between the camp led by the current president, Anbumani Ramadoss, and the faction loyal to the party's founder and his father, S Ramadoss. The move essentially creates two parallel narratives about the party's functioning and authority.
The situation sets the stage for a potential power struggle, with both sides likely to claim control over the party's symbol, organization, and political direction. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether this conflict escalates further or if a reconciliation can be brokered behind closed doors.
