PMK founder Ramadoss says he made mistake by making his son Anbumani Central minister

Villupuram (Tamil Nadu), May 29 (PTI) Pattali Makkal Katchi founder Dr S Ramadoss sprang a surprise on Thursday by claiming that he made a mistake by facilitating his son Dr Anbumani Ramadoss to become a Central minister, by going against his principles.

His latest provocation was the alleged remark of his son at a recent meeting in Dharmapuri where Anbumani reportedly sought to know why he was removed from the post of party president by his father.

On the eve of Union Home Minister and BJP senior Amit Shah's April 10 visit to Chennai, Ramadoss made a dramatic announcement on relegating his son to the position of PMK's working president in the interest of the party. He also announced to take full control of the party as its founder and president.

The announcement left the junior Ramadoss dazed and a section of his supporters even staged an agitation in some pockets of Tamil Nadu demanding his reinstatement as party president. Anbumani had also opposed the appointment of his nephew Mukundan as the party's youth wing president.

Despite an attempt by a section in the party for a rapprochement between the two leaders, Ramadoss remained firm and declined to reconsider his decision.

On Thursday, Ramadoss said he was constrained to speak about his son who had scant respect for party rules, discipline or even regard for seniors. Referring to Anbumani’s speech in Dharmapuri, the senior Ramadoss claimed that Anbumani said he was unable to know what mistake he had committed so as to be removed from the party president’s post.

Speaking to reporters at his Thailapuram residence near here, the 85-year-old leader said, "I made a mistake by making my son Anbumani a union minister when he was 35. He forced an alliance with the BJP during the 2024 Lok Sabha election." He said, if necessary, he would convene a meeting of the party’s general council and remove Anbumani from the party post.

Anbumani had served as union minister of health and family welfare in the Manmohan Singh Cabinet from 2004-2009.

Ramadoss, who alleged that Anbumani hindered the party's growth, said he was constrained to speak about his son following the remarks at the Dharmapuri meeting.

"It (the speech) was only an attempt to divert the attention of the party members and public to gain their sympathy. It is not Anbumani, it was I who made a mistake by going against my principles and facilitating him to become a union minister," the PMK leader said.

He accused his son of openly defying his decision to elevate his (Ramadoss') grandson Mukundan, through his daughter, as PMK youth wing president. "Anbumani chose to make the issue public by opposing me on the stage and flinging the mike which would have hit me," Ramadoss alleged.

Later, at the family gathering during the Pongal festival, Anbumani threw a bottle at his mother for commenting that he would have remained silent had his second daughter been made the party’s youth wing president instead of his nephew. "The bottle, however, missed the target and hit the wall… like a ball that bounces back, he has been opposing me and tarnished the party’s image through his behaviour," Ramadoss said.

Attempting to be brazen instead of sorting out the issues through negotiations only showed that he lacked leadership qualities. "He has shattered a big mirror through his behaviour," the senior added.

Ramadoss claimed that he was forced to forge an alliance with the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha, though he wanted to continue the poll ties with the AIADMK.

Ramadoss said he wanted an alliance with the AIADMK for the 2024 poll. Anbumani even confirmed the poll ties with the AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.

"But suddenly Anbumani and his wife Sowmya came to Thailapuram and begged for an alliance with the BJP. They cried for a long time and I was left with no other option," Ramadoss said.

Had the alliance with the AIADMK continued, then the PMK would have three seats and AIADMK seven, he claimed. PTI JSP JSP KH