The special general body of the Pattali Makkal Katchi convened at the party's political training centre at Thailapuram near here on Sunday authorised its founder S. Ramadoss to take a decision on the alliance issue for the next Assembly elections.
In a resolution, the PMK stated that after analysing the various political aspects Dr. Ramadoss would decide on the alliance that would bring victory to the party at the hustings.
It stated that his decision on the issue would be final and it would be made known at the right time. It noted that while in the last Lok Sabha elections the party suffered a setback, in the byelection to the Pennagaram Assembly seat, the party emerged second only to the ruling party.
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The party vowed to make all-out efforts to ensure the victory of its candidates as well as that of the alliance partners.
In the last 50 years the State was witness to changing alliances, and political leaders defended them. For M.G.Ramachandran, the alliance should reflect the people's sentiments and for Jayalalithaa there were no permanent enemies or friends in politics. For M.Karunanidhi, alliance acquired various hues during various points of time and for R.Venkataraman, former President, it was wise and good politics to change alliance partners. Therefore, Dr. Ramadoss said he would confidently say that PMK was practicing good politics.
He would soon bring out a booklet spelling out the PMK stand on alliance to enable young leaders to put the party's views in a proper perspective at the grassroots level.
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Dr. Ramadoss said since the party was gaining strength in the southern districts, it party would field its candidates there too.
Youth wing leader and former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said that the party was now focussing on 65 Assembly constituencies from which it would select the seats to be contested. He appealed to Dr. Ramadoss to field candidates from the women and youth wings too. In a resolution passed at the general body, the PMK urged the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to make public the details about the fate of several thousands of Tamil youths who had surrendered after the Eelam War IV. The party called upon the United Nations and countries advocating human rights to take up the youths' cause.
In another resolution, the PMK called upon the Centre to rescind the bilateral agreements between India and Sri Lanka on Kachchativu in 1975 and 1976. It sought higher procurement price for paddy to offset losses during floods and speedy disbursement of relief.
The party called upon the Centre and the State government to take measures on a war-footing to control the inflationary trend, particularly with regard to essential commodities. It suggested sale of vegetables through fair price shops. The party called for waiver of housing loans obtained by the poor and the downtrodden and the middle class families, both in the rural and the urban areas. To check the rising prices of yarn the PMK sought a ban on cotton export. Party president G.K.Mani, former Union Ministers A.K.Murthi, R.Velu and N.T.Shanmugham, general secretary Vadivel Ravanan, treasurer Syed Ali Ahamad, Vanniyar Sangam president J.Guru, MLAs and former MPs participated in the meeting.