Chennai:
PMK top leader Anbumani on Sunday appealed to his father, party founder S Ramadoss to forgive him in case of “anger” against him and asserted that he is ready to follow his diktats and realise his dreams for the party.
Praising Ramadoss as “national leader,” Anbumani expressed confidence that a coalition regime, in which his party will be a constituent, shall next year form the government following the Tamil Nadu 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 following the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, he affirmed.
The PMK was not founded to facilitate the formation of government by the DMK or the AIADMK, he said without explicitly naming the two Dravidian parties.
“We should also rule,” he said adding only then social justice could be upheld. “We do not require anything else.” Anbumani said, in 2004, his party was a partner in the UPA-I government and it was the PMK that made the demand to implement 27 percent 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 government by the UPA, the party founder, his father Ramadoss said the PMK may walkout of the alliance if the promise was not honoured. Only then the assurance was 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 underwent 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 the 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 the “countdown for the end of the DMK regime starts from today.” On June 13, Ramadoss asserted that he will continue to be the party president till such time he is alive. On that day, fifty-six year old Anbumani, announced, “Tamil Nadu people’s rights retrieval yatra,” for 100 days commencing from July 25, the birthday of his father and PMK founder Ramadoss.
The objective of the yatra is to win 10 rights. These are right to social justice, women’s right to live free from violence, right to employment, right to farming and 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.
Ramadoss days ago announced that he would be party chief as long as he lived. He said Anbumani should agree to function as executive president and that alone was the solution to end the bickerings within the PMK.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)