Pattali Makkal Katchi general body on Friday elected G.K.Mani its president for a seventh two-year term and the party kept its representatives from other backward communities in a few positions to drive home the point that it is not merely a Vanniyar party. "No political party gives the oppressed and the backward people the kind of representation we give," Mr.Mani said in his acceptance speech.
In a resolution adopted at the meeting, the party authorised Dr.Ramadoss to take any decision on the alliance. While Dr.Ramadoss did not dwell on the issue of alliance, Anbumani Ramadoss, his son andthe second-most powerful face in the PMK, said that there was no hurry in taking a decision on the alliance. "Elections will be held in Tamil Nadu in the next six months. We will implement the Pennagaram formula in 100 constituencies in the State. No one can stop us."
Realising that the Pennagaram formula -- the party contested the Pennagaram Assembly by election and was placed second, but was ahead of the main Opposition party in the State, the AIADMK -- also meant that the PMK will be going it alone, Dr.Anbumani clarified that he did not mean that the party would go it alone. 'That decision [on the alliance] will be taken by Ayya [Dr.Ramadoss]," he said.
Responding to criticism that most of the office bearers were chosen by him, he said that there were no groups in the PMK. "There is no Annan group or Thambi group in the PMK. There is only the Ayya group," he added.
In other resolutions adopted at the meeting, the party demanded caste-based census be carried out and wanted Tamil used as the language of administration in the State.
The PMK welcomed the resolution adopted at the World Classical Tamil Conference held in Coimbatore recently on priority in jobs for those who have learnt Tamil, and said that the government should bring in an ordinance on the matter and not wait for the Assembly session to begin.
