TN will see coalition govt, PMK will be part of it, says Anbumani

CHENNAI: PMK top leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Sunday expressed confidence that a coalition regime, in which his party will be a constituent, shall next year form the government after the 2026 Assembly election.

Addressing the party's district-level general council meeting at Tiruvallur near here, Anbumani spoke on strengthening the party by way of measures, including village-level outreach and enrolling youths as members. He said the district-level meetings were being held to achieve such objectives.

A coalition regime, in which his party will be a constituent, shall next year form the government after the 2026 polls, he affirmed.

The PMK was not founded to facilitate the formation of other governments, he said without explicitly naming the two Dravidian parties.

"We should also rule," he said, adding that only then could social justice be upheld. "We do not require anything else."

Anbumani said that in 2004, his party was a partner in the UPA-I government, and it was the PMK that made the demand to implement 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in education in central government educational institutions a part of the Common Minimum Programme.

However, when the assurance was not implemented 2 years after the formation of the government by the UPA, the party founder, his father Ramadoss, said the PMK may walk out of the alliance if the promise was not honoured. Only then was the assurance fulfilled by the UPA.

"It was a coalition government. This is what Tamil Nadu too needs," he said and reiterated that PMK's principle is social justice.

On the occasion of Father's Day on June 15, he conveyed his greetings to Ramadoss, and said the party founder should live joyously for more than 100 years with good health and peace of mind and facilitating it was also his duty as a son.

"If there is any anger against me, please pardon me," Anbumani made an open appeal to his father Ramadoss when the power struggle between the father-son duo appeared to be at its peak within the party. Further, Anbumani said his father had undergone coronary bypass surgery a decade ago and the octogenarian leader had to manage blood pressure and diabetes.

"That is why I said, you should maintain good health; do not get tensed up. Tell me what I should do as a son and as party president, and I will do it immediately, then and there. Do not get angry and do not be concerned. This is a party you built. We will realise your dreams," he said, adding his father's 45-year hard work was nothing ordinary.

"You (Ramadoss) are a national leader," he said, adding PM Narendra Modi last year hailed the PMK founder as India's senior-most leader.

Stressing on people's rights and referring to his proposed people's rights retrieval yatra, Anbumani accused the DMK government of "making false assurances" and deceiving the people. He claimed that people will not believe the DMK and that the "countdown for the end of the incumbent starts from today."

On June 13, Ramadoss asserted that he will continue to be the party president till such time as he is alive. On that day, fifty-six-year-old Anbumani announced, "Tamil Nadu people's rights retrieval yatra" commences from July 25 for a period of 100 days, on the birthday of his father and PMK founder Ramadoss.

The objective of the yatra is to win 10 rights. These are rights to social justice, women's right to live free from violence, right to employment, right to farming, right to food and right to development. Other rights his journey will be focusing are: right to public service, right to health and right to education, and right to be free from alcohol and drug harm and right to sustainable urban development and right to a healthy environment, according to the party.