Reporter’s Diary: Was not after CM post, insists Anbumani despite high-octane campaign in 2016

At an event held in Dharmapuri recently, he said, “My intention was never to become the CM, my aspiration is to develop TN and its people.” However, ‘Anbumani for Chief Minister’ was the main poll plank for the Pattali Makkal Katchi in the 2016 assembly polls. The high-pitched campaign of Anbumani, who was a Lok Sabha MP representing Dharmapuri constituency then, failed to get him elected from the Pennagaram Assembly seat which was part of its parliamentary seat. None of the PMK candidates managed to get elected. 

After the debacle, PMK went back on its promise to not to align with the Dravidian majors and joined the AIADMK led alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. However, PMK failed to win any of the seven LS seats including Dharmapuri seat in which Anbumani contested. However, Anbumani got elected to Rajya Sabha with the support of the AIADMK. Now, the rumours are abound that PMK, which had in the past switched alliances after every other poll, might stay back in the AIADMK to contest in the local body polls and the State assembly polls in 2021. After successive defeats, the PMK hopes to get its office-bearers elected to the local bodies if at all the polls are held with the support of the ruling party which normally tends to sweep such polls.