PMK makes it official, will go with Jaya

CHENNAI: Capping weeks of suspense, PMK on Thursday decided to snap ties with Congress and DMK alliance, and join AIADMK camp in Tamil Nadu. The move also means PMK���s consequent entry into the third front. However, since there is still no official word from AIADMK, the alliance which was supposed to be formalised on Thursday hangs in balance.

At the party general council meeting held on Thursday, PMK cadres voted on the party���s poll alliance, in a closed ballot, with a majority favouring AIADMK. 2453 votes went for AIADMK as opposed to 117 for DMK. PMK leaders were scheduled to meet AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa at her residence in Poes Gardens, but the meeting was postponed by the former Tamil Nadu chief minister.

Sources say that her interest in PMK included the likelihood of VCK joining the team, thanks to VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan���s relationship with PMK founder S Ramadoss. VCK carries a majority of the Dalit support in Tamil Nadu, which the PMK-AIADMK combine would otherwise lack.

But VCK had ruled out any alliance with AIADMK earlier and decided to remain with DMK for ideological and functional reasons.

With Thursday���s decision, PMK has also decided to pull out its ministers from the Congress-led Union government. Health minister Anbumani Ramadoss, son of the PMK chief, said he would resign in two days. The party has another nominee R Velu, who is minister of state for railways.