BJP agrees to PMK terms to reel party in, gets foot in the door in north Tamil Nadu

After several twists and turns, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) of Tamil Nadu has finally decided to go with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Before it finally made its call, the PMK had vacillated between party founder S Ramadoss, who preferred the AIADMK, and son Anbumani Ramadoss, who leaned towards the BJP. The AIADMK ended its alliance with the BJP some months ago.

The indecision of the PMK, dragging out the alliance talks, had also become a subject of much ridicule on social media. A top BJP leader told The Indian Express as recently as three days ago: “We are tired, let them come or go.”

Sources said that the stumbling block for the AIADMK was the PMK’s demand for 7 seats (out of the state’s 39), seen as unrealistic. The PMK base is largely confined to the OBC Vanniyar community, concentrated in northern Tamil Nadu.

The BJP, whose footprint in Tamil Nadu remains small, reportedly clinched the deal offering the PMK 10 seats. Top PMK sources claimed they have also extracted a promise of a Cabinet post from the BJP, reportedly for Anbumani, who used to be Union health minister under the UPA, if he wins, most likely from the Dharmapuri constituency.

The combined offer ultimately overrode the objections of PMK cadres, many of whom were initially in favour of sticking to the AIADMK, given the uncertainty over the BJP’s prospects in Tamil Nadu.

On Tuesday, both Ramadoss and Anbumani, who is the PMK president, shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public meeting in Salem.

Incidentally, Anbumani has a long-pending corruption case against him, being investigated by the CBI, with the PMK leader accused of “illegally” allowing an Indore-based medical college to