Anbumani-led PMK invites Vijay's TVK for stir for caste survey, triggers speculation of alliance

Chennai, Dec 11 (PTI) Anbumani Ramadoss-led PMK invited actor Vijay's TVK to participate in the party's agitation demanding a caste-based survey in Tamil Nadu, and triggered speculation of an alliance between the two parties.

PMK advocate K Balu, who led a delegation, called on senior leaders of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam here on Thursday and invited the party to take part in the December 17 stir seeking the conduct of a caste survey in Tamil Nadu.

"It is for our leader to decide on an alliance. Since its launch, the TVK has been insisting upon a caste survey. The PMK has been demanding a state-wide survey for an evidence-based reservation," Balu told reporters here.

He said the PMK had invited several political parties, including the allies of the ruling DMK, to join the party in the state-wide agitation.

"We have not invited the DMK, which appears to be against such a survey. Chief Minister M K Stalin had told the Assembly that only the Centre should conduct the caste census," Balu claimed.

However, the Chief Minister favoured caste census as part of the national decadal census and contended that the central government has the legal authority to conduct the census.

He had on June 26, 2024, piloted a resolution that was unanimously passed in the Assembly, urging the central government to immediately begin the overdue national census and integrate a caste-based population census along with it.

In his letter, Anbumani said the agitation would demand the immediate conduct of the caste survey, which was essential to ensure equitable welfare planning.

He claimed that the state's 69 per cent reservation policy was under threat for the last 15 years due to the absence of such an exercise.

Amidst a power tussle with his father Dr S Ramadoss, Anbumani, a former Union Minister, said he still headed the party and that attempts were being made by vested interest persons who were creating a rift between his father (Dr S Ramadoss, PMK founder-president) and him. "Such people should be isolated," Anbumani said at an event.

Reminding that the agitation did not have the sanction from Ramadoss, the latter's loyalist and senior leader G K Mani said Ramadoss had already announced that his son was no longer the party president.

"He should step aside," Mani told reporters here.

Meanwhile, Anbumani has invited applications from party aspirants keen on contesting the assembly election next year. They can submit the forms from December 14 to 20, he said in a statement. PTI JSP JSP ROH