Tamil Nadu News: Father-Son Rift Deepens In PMK As Ramadoss Expels Son From Party

Chennai: The feud between Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S. Ramadoss and his estranged son, Anbumani Ramadoss, reached a new peak on Thursday, when the senior Ramadoss announced the expulsion of his son from the party. The dramatic decision, made at a press conference in Villupuram, marks a significant turn in the family’s bitter political saga over the past nine months.

Ramadoss, who had built the party from scratch in the 1980s, told journalists at his Thailapuram farmhouse in Villupuram district, that the PMK’s Disciplinary Action Committee had served a show cause notice with 16 charges against Anbumani, which went unanswered despite multiple extensions in time. Ramadoss claimed Anbumani’s failure to respond, either in writing or in person, left him with no choice but to expel his son from both the position of "working president" and the primary membership of the party.

“This decision is in accordance with the party’s bylaws,” Ramadoss asserted, warning party workers not to associate with Anbumani or face further consequences. He also accused his son of engaging in “anti-party activities” that have severely tarnished the reputation of the PMK.

The family conflict, which has been brewing since late 2024, has spilled into the public eye on multiple occasions. Ramadoss previously accused his son of bugging his home, a claim that further soured their relationship. Although Ramadoss had once anointed Anbumani as the “working president” of the PMK, the father now seems determined to sever all ties. Ramadoss also reiterated that Anbumani no longer use his surname, except as an initial.

While the elder Ramadoss presented his decision as a necessary step for the future of the party, he insisted that the expulsion would not damage the PMK’s prospects. He dismissed any notion that the removal of Anbumani would be a setback, claiming the party had already been deeply affected by his son's erratic behaviour and lack of leadership.

“The PMK was founded by me, and it belongs to me. No one, not even my son, can stake a claim to it,” Ramadoss said firmly.

However, Anbumani’s response to his expulsion was surprisingly nonchalant. In a brief statement made later on Thursday, he remarked, “I have more important work to attend to,” suggesting that the expulsion did not faze him.

His supporters, particularly the younger faction within the PMK, have expressed their allegiance to him, while the senior leadership of the party, including figures like G.K. Mani, who was party president for 25 years, and Arul, the leader of the Vanniyar Sangam, continue to back the senior Ramadoss.

In contrast to Ramadoss’s firm stance, K Balu, a key supporter of Anbumani and senior party member, dismissed the expulsion as “invalid.”

According to Balu, the PMK’s bylaws state that authority over administrative decisions, including expulsions, lies with the president, secretary, and treasurer elected by the general council, not with the party founder. Balu cited the general body meeting held in August, where it was unanimously decided that Anbumani would continue as party president. The resolution had been formally communicated to the Election Commission, which had recognised the decision, thus granting Anbumani an extended tenure, he said.

Balu further rejected the accusations of tapping made against Anbumani by his father, calling them baseless.