Is Ramadoss Left Isolated Ahead of Tamil Nadu’s 2026 Assembly Elections? A Stirring Call to PMK Cadres

With the 2026 Assembly elections approaching, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has aligned itself with the AIADMK-led alliance. The Election Commission and the courts have ruled that the party’s name, symbol and flag rightfully belong to Anbumani Ramadoss. In this backdrop, party founder Dr. S. Ramadoss has acknowledged that cadres are in a state of emotional turmoil, even as he expressed confidence that “our vehicle will arrive soon.”

As things stand, Dr. Ramadoss appears to have been pushed into a situation of near isolation ahead of the 2026 polls. With Anbumani formally taking charge as party president, the PMK has effectively come under his control.

The rift between father and son has resulted in both camps functioning separately. Amid this internal division, the Election Commission and subsequent court rulings affirmed that the PMK legally belongs to Anbumani Ramadoss.

Buoyed by this verdict, Anbumani has joined hands with the AIADMK-BJP alliance. Against this political churn, observers are watching closely to see what course of action Ramadoss, who has been climbing the steps of the courts, will adopt next. At the same time, he has found no berth in the DMK alliance, reportedly due to pressure from the VCK. Though there were indications of alliance talks with actor Vijay, those discussions did not yield results.

In this context, Ramadoss has written a letter to party cadres.

In the letter, he begins: “My dear Pattali brethren, who are dearer to me than my life, greetings. I am well. I hope you are well too. You have always stood with me in ranks. You will continue to do so. Let us look back briefly at our past. In the history of social justice, we fought and won six reservations — four at the Tamil Nadu level and two at the national level.”

He goes on to recall that the party organised conferences promoting communal harmony so that people of all castes and religions could live as brothers. He lists the goals yet to be achieved: equal rights for women, a drug-free Tamil Nadu, uniform and quality education for both the poor and the rich, equitable healthcare, employment opportunities, housing for all, economic upliftment for every citizen, encouragement to farmers and production of toxin-free food, congestion-free roads, inflation-free economic growth, and a violence-free, secure life.

Quoting poet Kannadasan — “If you know yourself, you can fight the world” — Ramadoss urges cadres to recognise their strength and press forward to achieve their goals. “There is no word called fatigue in our dictionary. I know that a small sense of anxiety has crept into your minds. The distance we have to travel is long. If we keep boarding whatever vehicle is available, we will never reach our destination. Our own vehicle has now arrived near us. It is in that vehicle we will travel. We will achieve our goal and realise our ideals. We will always remain united. I will continue to speak with you,” he writes.

Whether this spirited message is an attempt to calm restless cadres or a signal of a new political direction remains to be seen. As Tamil Nadu moves steadily toward the 2026 Assembly elections, the spotlight is firmly on Ramadoss and his next political move.