PMK on a warpath with saffron party, courtesy Mandhiramaalai plan

A day after the activists of the two parties were involved in a scuffle in front of the BJP headquarters here, the PMK also announced a state-wide protest against BJP state president  Tamilisai Soundararajan on June 28. 

The PMK leaders accused the BJP leader of insulting the struggle of two and half crore Vanniyars for quota in education and employment and demanded a public apology from Tamilisai. 

PMK state president GK Mani, invoking the caste chord said “Tamilisai had insulted the social justice struggle of the majority community in Tamil Nadu. Instead of seeking an apology, she is justifying her action. 

The people known for their valour and honour will not forgive her.” It all started after the BJP leader announced a ‘Mandhiramaalai Lotus Programme’ on July 7 to reach out to the Vanniyar community in north Tamil Nadu, evoking sharp reactions from the PMK. Some of the former PMK functionaries are joining hands with the saffron party at the conference. 

The national party had planned to establish a connect with the backward communities with promises for their development and key posts to leaders from the community. The friction developed further after PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss claimed credit for the Union government’s announcement of AIIMS at Madurai. 

A verbal duel between Tamilisai and Anbumani Ramadoss also resulted in clashes between the cadres of the two parties when a group of PMK functionaries led by former union minister AK Murthy tried to besiege the BJP headquarters in Chennai. 

Anbumani came out with a scathing attack on Tamilisai asking if she had the qualification to lead the state unit of a nation party. Responding to the attack, Tamilisai asserted that she did not grow in politics under the shadow of her father and added that she did not get to the post by playing caste politics. 

She also asked how many times Anbumani had raised the demand for AIIMS for Madurai and added that he was confusing the project by seeking the setting up of AIIMS in Dharmapuri. The ongoing clash between the two parties had come ahead of the Parliament elections, raising question marks over the revival of the alliance.