The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) on Wednesday snapped ties with the DMK. The party announced that it would be forming an alternative front to the Dravidian majors in the upcoming local body elections.
The party’s general council, which met in city in the presence of party founder S. Ramadoss, resolved to severe ties with the DMK. The PMK was part of the DMK-led alliance in the recent Assembly elections, winning won three of the 30 seats it had contested.
When PMK president G.K. Mani announced the decision to snap ties, the members welcomed it with a round of applause. The party’s decision has not surprised many, as there were sufficient hints from senior leaders, including former Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss, who had recently blamed the DMK for the rout faced by it in the Assembly elections.
At the meeting, senior leaders, including J. Guru, accused the DMK of deliberately plotting their defeat in the Assembly elections.
“We did not receive any cooperation from the DMK. It only shows that they deliberately plotted our defeat,” Mr Guru, also the legislative party leader, said.
Explaining its idea to lead a new alliance, the general council resolved that none of the parties — the Congress, AIADMK and the DMK — which had ruled the state had done any good to the people. “Like-minded parties who have the same ideologies as the PMK are welcome to join us and we will face the elections by leading an alternative front in future,” Dr Ramadoss declared.
On the rout in the Assembly polls, he reiterated, “It is not a vote against PMK. It was a vote against the DMK. Also it was not a vote for the AIADMK but against the DMK.”