In a significant development on Thursday, October 16, 2025, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S. Ramadoss issued a clear directive to his estranged son, Anbumani Ramadoss: cease using the party’s name and flag. Ramadoss suggested that Anbumani is free to establish a new political entity if he wishes to gather his supporters.
Addressing reporters from his Thailapuram home near Tindivanam, Mr. Ramadoss emphasized the immense personal effort he invested in building the PMK from the ground up, traversing over 96,000 villages. He argued that it would be “unethical” and “unjustified” for Anbumani to leverage the party’s established identity and symbols given this history.
While reaffirming Anbumani’s right to use his own initials, Mr. Ramadoss expressed strong doubts about the viability of any new party his son might form. He predicted it would fail to attract voters, as the public would view it as a “fake organization” lacking credibility. He also reflected on the unexpected nature of this internal strife, stating that he never foresaw such a division within the party he founded.
Mr. Ramadoss further elaborated that while Anbumani could appoint his loyalists to positions within a new party, these individuals would likely struggle to secure seats as Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) or Members of Parliament (MPs). He drew a distinction between the PMK’s unique origins, built largely by one individual’s tireless efforts, and other parties that have endured multiple splits in India. He concluded by reiterating his firm belief that Anbumani should simply refrain from using the PMK’s name and flag.