Anbumani has no power to remove R. Arul from PMK’s primary membership, says Ramadoss

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S. Ramadoss on Thursday (July 3, 2025) said the party’s “working president” Anbumani Ramadoss does not have the power to remove Salem West MLA R. Arul from its primary membership. The founder alone is vested with the powers to remove him, he said.

Speaking to reporters at his Thailapuram residence near Tindivanam, Dr. Ramadoss said Mr. Arul is the party’s whip in the Assembly, and at most, honorary president and Legislature Party leader G.K. Mani could only recommend his removal to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

The “working president” has no power to remove the party whip, he said.

On Wednesday (July 2), Dr. Anbumani announced the expulsion of Mr. Arul from the primary membership of the party, accusing him of acting in a manner that went against the party’s disciplinary rules and bringing disrepute to the party by making statements to the media.

Decision on alliance

Replying to a question, Dr. Ramadoss said a decision on the PMK’s alliance for the 2026 Assembly elections would be made only after consulting party workers at the executive council and general council meetings. Until then, speculations about an alliance are merely rumours, he said.

Welcoming the Tamil Nadu School Education Department’s new initiative ‘Level Up’ to improve students’ proficiency in English, Dr. Ramadoss said the project should be expanded to cover students of classes I to V as well.

With farmers expecting an enhanced target of 5 lakh acres in the delta districts for the ongoing Kuruvai cultivation, the State government should ensure adequate stock of fertilisers, he said.

Dr. Ramadoss also urged the government to provide a compensation of ₹1 crore to the next of kin of the Sivaganga custodial death victim, B. Ajith Kumar.