Amid patch-up efforts in PMK, RSS ideologue Gurumurthy meets party’s founder Ramadoss

Amidst the ongoing efforts to save the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) from the brink of collapse following the deepening rift between party founder S Ramadoos and his son and president Anbumani, RSS ideologue and ‘Thuglak’ editor S Gurumurthy undertook a mission and met the senior Ramadoss at Thailapuram near Tindivanam in the Villupuram district on Thursday.

The meeting of Gurumurthy and Ramadoss assumes significance since the PMK, which has around 3℅ vote share in northern districts of Tamil Nadu, is yet to decide on the issue of alliance for the upcoming 2026 Assembly election. Gurumurthy walking the extra mile to meet the PMK patriarch at Thailapuram is seen as a move to convince Ramadoss to join the NDA combine. Ramadoss is averse to joining hands with the saffron party while Anbumani is for it.

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While Gurumurthy later told the media in Chennai that his Thailapuram visit was to meet a long-time friend and there was nothing political about it, according to analysts, it was a mission to get the OBC-Vanniyar community dominant PMK on board the NDA. Union Home Minister and BJP strongman Amit Shah’s visit to Madurai later this week has hastened Gurumurthy’s mission, it is pointed out.

Interestingly, preceding Gurumurthy, Anbumani too had a nearly hour-long before leaving without meeting the media. An initiative of second-rung PMK leaders, it was aimed at bringing a truce between the warring father- son duo to avert a potential split. However, sources said that Ranadoss senior had put three conditions: Anbumani should step down as president and remain as working president, accept his grandson, Mukundan’s appointment as Youth Wing secretary, and alliance decision should be left to himself.

Shortly after the Thuglak editor’s visit, AIADMK leader and former Chennai Mayor Saidai Duraisamy too called on Ramadods at Thailapuram. The AIADMK is awaiting a positive response from the PMK to join the NDA bandwagon so that a credible alliance can take on the ruling DMK in the Assembly election.