Chennai, 11 December (H.S.) : Amid ongoing internal disputes over the control of the party and the crucial 'Mango' election symbol, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has formally invited cadres aspiring to contest on behalf of his faction in the upcoming 2026 Legislative Assembly elections for both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to submit their applications. This move marks the official start of the candidate selection process for the PMK faction led by Ramadoss.

In an official statement issued by Anbumani Ramadoss, the application submission process is set to commence on December 14 at the party headquarters in Panaiyur, which operates under his leadership. The headquarters has announced that it will accept the fully completed application forms from all hopeful aspirants until December 20. This seven-day window provides a limited opportunity for interested members to formally put forward their names for consideration as electoral candidates.

The announcement comes at a challenging time for the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), where a significant internal tussle is taking place. Both the party's founder, S Ramadoss, and Anbumani Ramadoss are currently claiming sole ownership and control of the party and its election symbol, and have reportedly not yet reached any common ground or communication regarding the dispute.

In a recent update reflecting the internal conflict, S Ramadoss, in an interview, stated that while he would accept cadres currently aligning with the Anbumani faction back into his fold, he clarified that they would not be guaranteed tickets to contest the 2026 elections.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary