As the Pattali Makkal Katchi
(PMK) entered its 25th year of existence (July 16, 2013), its founder-leader S.
Ramadoss vowed to put an end to the rule of Dravidian parties in the State
after the Assembly elections in 2016.
He
said that, the PMK broadened its base when it contested elections alone between
1989 and 1996. But its growth stagnated after it allied with the Dravidian
parties. It would stick to its decision to lead an alliance rather than join
hands with any major regional or national party.
The PMK was established on
July 16, 1989, after the Vanniyar Sangam, its parent organisation, succeeded in
securing 20 per cent reservation for Most Backward Classes (MBCs) as a result
of a prolonged struggle.
The PMK emerged a key player
in the State’s politics after it closed ranks with the AIADMK-BJP combine in
the 1998 Lok Sabha polls. It proved to be a promising start for a regional
party as it could enter the Union Cabinet.
The AIADMK’s decision to pull
out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led to a snap poll in
1999. But the PMK chose to remain in the BJP’s company, and the DMK also joined
the combination. In the 2004 Lok
Sabha polls, both the DMK and
PMK switched camps and became part of the Congress-led UPA at the Centre. Dr.
Ramadoss’ son Anbumani was inducted into the Union Cabinet as minister for
Health and Family Welfare.
Dr. Ramadoss, normally known
for playing his cards cleverly, made two moves that cost him severely. The
first was his decision to face the 2009 Lok Sabha polls along with the
AIADMK-Left alliance. The decision came a cropper and it was routed in all the
seven seats it contested. By the time Tamil Nadu was ready for the Assembly
polls in 2011, Dr. Ramadoss decided to join the DMK, whose regime had become
highly unpopular in the wake of allegations of land grabbing and the 2G
spectrum scam. The DMK was reduced to the third position in the Assembly with
23 seats while the PMK had to be content with just three seats.
Even though he played a role
in goading the government to bring in a common curriculum in schools in Tamil
Nadu, successfully prevented agricultural lands being converted into industrial
corridors and satellite towns and waging a relentless struggle for total
prohibition, the PMK could not expand its base beyond its traditional turf.
He remained a bridge between
the Dalits and intermediate communities, particularly the Vanniyar, in the
Northern district. He talked about a pan-Tamil identity, the Sri Lankan Tamil
cause, Tamil language, but ultimately had to fall back on his traditional plank
of Vanniyar mobilisation. It remains to be seen whether his new strategy will be
a trump card.
But the recent Dharmapuri
caste violence and his speech on inter-caste marriages made outrages in the
State. The State Government headed by Jayalalithaa blamed PMK is the
responsible for the recent caste violence in the State and filed several cases
against PMK. PMK also made it clear that it will not alliance with any
Dravidian parties in the upcoming general elections.
Let’s wait and watch where
PMK goes?
Political Parties in Tamil Nadu:-
#
|
Party
|
Formed in
|
1
|
DMK
|
1949
|
2
|
AIADMK
|
1972
|
3
|
VCK
|
1972
|
4
|
PMK
|
1989
|
5
|
MDMK
|
1994
|
6
|
DMDK
|
2005
|
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