Former PMK president Dheeran rejoined the party on Sunday after calling on party founder S. Ramadoss at the latter’s Thailapuram residence.
In 1998, Professor Dheeran was expelled from the PMK when he opposed the party’s alliance with the AIADMK-BJP combine for that year’s Lok Sabha poll.
Speaking to reporters, Dr. Ramadoss said Mr. Dheeran was the president of the party at its inception. “Both of us nurtured and strengthened the Vanniyar Sangam and the party during its initial days,” he said. Mr. Dheeran said he was returning after a 21-year sabbatical.
Mr. Dheeran, who had been the president of the PMK since its inception in 1989, was elected from Andimadam of Ariyalur district on a PMK ticket in the 1996 Assembly election.
He, however, fell out with Dr. Ramadoss in 1998, following which he was expelled from the party. He then formed the Tamil Pattali Makkal Kazhagam.
Mr. Dheeran had a brief stint in the Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, launched by T. Velmurugan, another PMK dissident. He later joined the AIADMK and was expelled from the party in 2018.
At a recent function celebrating his 80th birthday, Dr. Ramadoss nostalgically recalled his association with Mr. Dheeran and said time had set them apart.
