Ramadoss to take final call on alliance
However, both the leaders denied that their meetings were for finalising electoral alliances and stressed that their meetings were strictly personal.
PMK founder S Ramadoss addressing the party’s general council meeting in Chennai on Thursday
CHENNAI: The PMK general council, with options wide open to align during the upcoming Lok Sabha election, has given power of taking a call on the alliance to its founderDr S Ramadoss.
A resolution passed by the general council, on Thursday, said that PMK will contest the election along with parties that have concern over the welfare of the state as well as the nation. As per the resolution, Ramadoss will decide on the party’s allies.
It may be noted that during the 2019 Lok Sabha election and 2021 state Assembly election, PMK allied with an alliance led by AIADMK, in which BJP was a part. However, PMK walked out of the alliance before the local body polls. While it is unclear where PMK will align with, as of now, party president Anbumani Ramadoss spoke, in the general council meeting, against the DMK and BJP. Interestingly, he abstained from targeting his former partner - AIADMK. Moreover, both Ramadoss and Anbumani Ramadoss are critical about several decisions taken by the state and central government in the recent months.
“Whenever there is no sufficient representation from the PMK, welfare of Tamil Nadu witnesses setbacks. This suggests that the victory of the PMK is good for the state. The party is devising strategies to win a considerable number of seats in the Lok Sabha election,” the resolution stated.
Apart from giving power to Ramadoss, the general council passed resolutions urging the governments to conduct caste-based census, 10.5 per cent reservation for Vanniyars, 27 per cent OBC internal reservation, provide compensation to drought-hit farmers, banning land acquisition for NLC and SIPCOT, enact law to ensure private jobs to Tamilians and implementing complete prohibition. The party also urged the government to revoke the Land Consolidation Act.
