Questioning the Opposition’s allegations that the BJP was opposed to a caste census, a plank used to question the PMK’s commitment to social justice, PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss, during a campaign event in Krishnagiri, asked, “Modi is OBC, Ramadoss is also OBC; won’t they together bring a caste census?”
Mr. Anbumani, campaigning for C. Narasimhan, the BJP’s candidate for Krishnagiri constituency, challenged the Opposition to specify when any BJP leader had opposed a caste census. “the friendship between Mr. Modi and Mr. Ramadoss will bring development to the State,” he claimed.
Addressing a crowd predominantly comprised of PMK cadres, Mr. Anbumani emphasised that the alliance with the BJP was a result of a “long-term vision.” Responding to criticism from the Chief Minister and DMK leader M.K. Stalin for aligning with the BJP, Mr. Anbumani reminded, “when PMK was part of the NDA under Atal Behari Vajpayee for 6 years, the DMK too was part of the alliance for five years. Since then, PMK has aligned with the BJP in 2014, 2019, 2021, and now in 2024. Mr. Stalin seems to have forgotten the past.”
“Since the Opposition parties are trying to create confusion amongst you, let me make it clear that we are still in the same alliance for the coming elections as well,” the PMK leader told his cadres.
According to the PMK chief, the last 57 years of Dravidian rule had led to a State rife with corruption, liquor, and drug abuse. He alleged that the Chief Minister is surrounded by some ministers who are not ministers but traders, dividing the State.
Not sparing the AIADMK, Mr. Ramadoss criticised its former alliance partner for dubbing the PMK a traitor. “You all know how many people Edappadi Palaniswami has betrayed to get to where he is now,” he said.
Calling upon PMK cadres to vote for Mr. Narasimhan, the PMK leader expressed hope that in 2026, an alliance government without the DMK or the AIADMK would come to power.
