Tamil Nadu regional party Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) faced a major split on Thursday after founder S Ramadoss announced the removal of his son Anbumani Ramadoss from the party.

Ramadoss said Anbumani had repeatedly ignored the advice of party seniors and refused to heed his father’s counsel. He instructed PMK cadres not to maintain any communication with Anbumani.

The rift between father and son had been brewing for months. While Ramadoss declared himself the party head, Anbumani maintained that he was elected president as per party rules and was also recognised by the Election Commission.

Ramadoss accused those siding with Anbumani of functioning like a separate party but added that he was ready to forgive them.

In May, Ramadoss accused Anbumani of hindering the party’s growth, attempting to isolate him from cadres, and “lying without shame.” He also expressed regret over elevating his son as Union Minister at the age of 35, saying, “Honestly, the real mistake was mine. I made him a Union Minister so young, but it was Anbumani who chose to escalate things.”

The feud had intensified since December 2024, when Ramadoss appointed his daughter’s son, Mukundan, to a key party position. At a general council meeting in Puducherry, Anbumani openly opposed the decision, slamming a microphone onto the table in protest, an act that Ramadoss said “broke the party in a split second.”

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