‘For this Parliamentary poll, I was never in favour of an alliance with the AIADMK’

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss tells Udhav Naig why the party decided to join the National Democratic Alliance, focusing on the 2026 Assembly election, dreaming of a State govt. without the DMK and AIADMK, and the need to present a viable alternative to

When the UPA, led by Manmohan Singh was in power, Tamil Nadu witnessed robust growth with huge support from the Centre. Mr. Chidambaram said that the 100day job guarantee (MGNREGA) scheme, education loan for the economically weaker sections, waiver of ₹60.000 crore to the farmers across the nation and et al were achievements of the UPA government.

He wanted to know about the achievements of the Centre now to Tamil Nadu.

Even after the worst floods, the Narendra Modi led government had not released a single rupee. Chief Minister M. K. Stalin had written many letters. He, in fact, met the Prime Minister.

But the Union government’s staunch refusal showed its autocracy.

The Congress veteran said, “With my age and experience, I feel, if the BJP again comes back to power, this would be the last election...” To stop this, the people, not only in Tamil Nadu, but all over the nation, should defeat the BJP as it would be a danger to the democratic fabric of India,” he added.

— Two colleges in the constituency

Soon after the Chief Minister assumed office in 2021, within a fortnight, when he met him along with Mr. Karti Chidambaram, seeking to establish a law college and an agricultural college in Sivaganga district, Mr. Stalin readily agreed, which has benefited hundreds of children from this region.

The Congress would certainly give a new meaning to the lives of the common man and with the support of the INDIA alliance leaders, the country would be strengthened, Mr. Chidambaram assured the people and sought their support. he Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), which has a strong vote bank in the northern and western regions of Tamil Nadu, sprung a surprise by announcing it would join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and contest in 10 Lok Sabha seats when it was widely expected to stay with the AIADMK, with which it has been in alliance since the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

In a conversation with The Hindu, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss says why the party decided to join the NDA, focussing on the 2026 State Assembly election, dreaming of a State government without the DMK and AIADMK, and the need to present a via

Tble alternative to the people of Tamil Nadu.

Why have you chosen not to contest in 2024 Lok Sabha election and why did you join the NDA?

The Assembly election in 2026 is my focus. If I contest in 2024, I have to resign [in 2026] and the party would have to fight a byelection. For the next two years, my entire focus will be on Tamil Nadu. We want a change. For 57 years, the DMK and AIADMK have been in power, and there is a sense of fatigue in Tamil Nadu. The Ministers surrounding Chief Minister M.K. Stalin are just business men. He is not aware of what is happening around him.

Except for the DMK, 2026 is an open field. Anyone can come to power with the AIADMK fragmented into four groups.

Is it because the 10.5% internal reservations for Vanniyar is widely believed to be the reason for the AIADMK’s defeat in 2021?

This is absurd. AIADMK lost because [its joint leaders at that point] Edappadi K. Palaniswami and O. Panneerselvam wanted to defeat each other. In fact, I would not call it a defeat at all. After 10 years of being in power, they got 66 seats...out of which 36 seats were because of us.

We didn’t speak with them at all. AIADMK leader C.Ve. Shanmugam came to Thailapuram residence on his own. Salem West MLA Arul went to meet Mr. Palaniswami in his personal capacity. The last time we won an MP seat in the AIADMK alliance was in 1998. We lost in 2009 and 2019. We don’t get their votes but they get our votes. Since 1998, we are breathing life into the AIADMK. In 2021, we joined the AIADMK only for 10.5% reservations.

So you never wanted an alliance with the AIADMK?

For 2024, I was never in favour of an alliance with the AIADMK. For the last 10 months, AIADMK was begging the VCK to join them. Then, they were asking the Congress. Then, they spoke with [Naam Tamilar Katchi leader] Seeman. Finally, AIADMK sent out feelers to us after our general body meeting since nobody came to them. Until such time, they were never bothered about us. I never discussed it with them.

What went wrong during seat sharing negotiations with the AIADMK?

You have joined the BJP even though they have not supported caste census, abolition of NEET, but Rahul Gandhi has called for caste census ....

Congress spoke about the caste census because of the elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. I am not going to justify the BJP’s stand, but they have never said that they will never do the caste census.

Why is the PMK contesting in fewer seats than the BJP?

BJP is the leader of the alliance. And, we have an understanding with them. There are other alliance partners, who need to be accommodated. We will see the strength of each party and witness a lot of surprises in this election.

Do you see this alliance continuing until 2026 and have they agreed to project you as the CM candidate?

We haven’t talked about any of the nittygritties. But, one thing is clear that the next government in Tamil Nadu will be formed without the DMK or AIADMK. I don’t want to say ‘no’ to all Dravidian parties — there are other parties like the DMDK and MDMK.