Former Union Min Anbumani Ramadoss likely to take over PMK mantle

According to speculation, current party president GK Mani would make way for Anbumani Ramadoss to be the new president and a newly-created post will be given to him instead.
Anbumani Ramadoss with PMK workers
Anbumani Ramadoss with PMK workers
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In the past few days, there has been speculation that PMK's new party president may be announced at a special general body meeting scheduled to be held on May 28, at GPN palace in Thiruverkadu in Chennai. According to speculation, current party president GK Mani would make way for Anbumani Ramadoss to be the new president and a newly-created post will be given to GK Mani.

Earlier this week, PMK hosted a felicitation function in Chennai for GK Mani who completed 25 years as the party president. GK Mani was elected as the president of the party after Dheeran was removed from the post in 1998.  Since then, he has been elected as the party president 12 times. In the felicitation on May 24,  neither GK Mani nor Dr Ramadoss, founder of the PMK party, signaled anything about the elevation of Anbumani Ramadoss as the party president. 

When TNM spoke with PMK spokesperson K Balu, he said, "The general meeting will be held on Saturday evening. After the adoption of the resolution only, we will come to know who will be the party president or what changes will take place inside the party.   

PMK was part of the AIADMK alliance in the 17th Lok Sabha elections and state Assembly elections. While in the alliance, AIADMK enacted the legislation on 10.5% internal reservation for the Vanniyars, which was squashed down by the Supreme Court. Now, PMK leaders are in a bid to revamp the party to capture power in 2026 in Tamil Nadu. PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadass has addressed the party's district units across the state to strengthen the internal structure of the party, from the village level as a first step.

He has been a Member of Parliament since 2004. He served as the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare between 2004 and 2009, in the first Manmohan Singh Cabinet as a part of the UPA-I government.

During this period, the National Rural Health Mission was introduced and ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) was part of this scheme. 108 emergency ambulance services and anti-tobacco measures were also launched. In 2014, he was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha from the Dharmapuri constituency. At present, he is a member of the Rajya Sabha. Anbumani Ramadoss often hit the headlines after the release of Suriya starrer Jai Bheem after he alleged that the movie misrepresented the Vanniyar community.

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