PMK to go with BJP, says party gen secy

CHENNAI: After keeping the political pundits guessing and raising hopes of AIADMK, which was eagerly looking to stitch a strong alliance, PMK finally announced its decision to join the BJP-led NDA, on Monday. PMK founder S Ramadoss and president Anbumani Ramadoss are likely to participate in PM Modi’s meeting in Salem on Tuesday.

The decision was taken in the governing council meeting and district secretaries meeting held in party headquarters in Thailapuram. “The general council of the party gave the power to decide on the alliance to founder S Ramadoss. Governing council and district secretaries have unanimously agreed to go with BJP,” Vadivel Ravanan, state general secretary of PMK, said after the meetings.

With the alliance sealed, BJP will allocate 10 Lok Sabha seats and commit one Rajya Sabha seat to PMK.

A part of the AIADMK-BJP alliance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and 2021 assembly polls, PMK remained silent on its stand after AIADMK and BJP parted ways a few months ago. However, both AIADMK and BJP held alliance talks with the ‘Mango’ party for the LS polls.

AIADMK had offered it seven Lok Sabha seats. On Sunday, party MLA from Salem West constituency and party district secretary Arul Ramadas met AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami at the latter’s residence on Greenways Road.

A party functionary, who took part in Monday’s governing council meeting said S Ramadoss and Anbumani Ramadoss will share the dais with PM Modi at the BJP public meeting to be held in Salem on Tuesday evening. However, one of the functionaries upset over the party decision to align with the BJP, said the prospect of winning is low and the decision may not bode well for the next state assembly elections. “In constituencies where PMK has a vote bank, BJP is weak and in constituencies where BJP has considerable vote bank, PMK is weak. This will not help win seats,” he said.