Tamil Nadu: Will Vanni Sammelan help PMK
Tamil Nadu : Whether the Chithirai Poornima Mahotsav Vanniyar Youth Conference held at Thiruvidanthai in Mamallapuram near Chennai will give political advantage to the Paatali Makkal Katchi (PMK) or not has become a matter of debate.
After 12 years, this time a grand conference was organized in Mamallapuram under the leadership of PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, in which about 4 lakh participants participated. This conference is very important in view of the assembly elections to be held next year.
The cold war between Ramdas and Anbumani, which started a few months ago, also came to the fore indirectly on the stage of this conference. Ramdas, who came on the stage, came carrying his grandson and PMK youth wing leader Mukundan on his shoulders through his daughter. However, only Anbumani’s family was given importance on the stage.
Anbumani’s long speech at the conference gave indirect indications of direct opposition to the DMK and alliance with the AIADMK. However, Dr. Ramadoss’s short speech was an indirect warning to the pro-Anbumani officials.
Alternating alliances: The PMK, which entered coalition politics, faced the Lok Sabha elections in 1998 in alliance with the AIADMK and in 1999 in alliance with the DMK. Despite alternating alliances with the AIADMK in the 2001 assembly elections and the DMK alliance in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections and the 2006 assembly elections, it continued its winning streak for 10 consecutive years.
However, in 2009 it faced the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the AIADMK. This was followed by the DMK alliance in alliance with the BJP in the 2011 assembly election, the National Democratic Alliance in alliance with the AIADMK in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the 2019 Lok Sabha election and the 2021 assembly election, and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in 2024. The PMK has been facing defeat for 15 years. Not only this, PMK has also lost its state party recognition since 2014. Leadership under pressure: The upcoming assembly elections are expected to be a tough test for PMK. At a time when PMK is in a critical situation due to the need to seek approval from the Election Commission, it is forced to decide within the next 10 months whether to contest the elections in alliance or independently.
