Chennai, July 2 (IANS) In a dramatic escalation of the internal feud within the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), party president Anbumani Ramadoss on Wednesday announced the expulsion of Salem West MLA R. Arul from the party’s primary membership.

Arul, a well-known loyalist of the PMK founder, has been removed for allegedly tarnishing the party’s image through media statements.

In a statement, Anbumani stated that the party’s disciplinary committee had asked Arul to apologise within 24 hours for his remarks. However, as Arul failed to comply, the party invoked Rule No. 30 of its bylaws to expel him.

“Salem West MLA R.Arul acted in violation of party rules and brought disrepute to the organisation. His continued defiance has left us with no choice,” the statement said.

The expelled legislator had recently made statements to the media, expressing that his primary loyalty remained with party founder Ramadoss, while acknowledging Anbumani as his leader only after him.

In a pointed message, Arul had also urged Anbumani to reconcile with his father and the founder of the PMK, publicly calling for the resolution of their differences.

Arul’s removal is seen as a significant move, especially given his strong influence in the Salem district, considered a bastion of PMK.

The expulsion has deepened the rift between the two factions led respectively by the father-son duo, fueling concerns among party workers about a long-term split.

Party insiders reveal that parallel organisational structures have already emerged in many districts due to competitive appointments made by both leaders.

“There are now two presidents, two district secretaries, and two sets of office bearers in several places. Even if the top leaders reconcile, conflict will arise over who retains which post,” said a district-level functionary who has remained neutral in the conflict.

A senior leader admitted that the situation has created an existential crisis for the party.

“The perception war between father and son is damaging. It’s unclear when or if it will end. Other parties could exploit the divide, especially during elections,” he said.

With grassroots leaders now split and many demoralised, party insiders fear that effective election coordination will be an uphill task unless urgent reconciliation efforts are made.

–IANS

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