From being a caste organisation, the group became a political entity in 1989. Like many regional parties, the PMK also has its history of casteism and separatism, though the party leadership had, in recent times, been able to take it beyond those limitations.

The party was formed as an extension of the powerful Vanniyar Sangam, a caste outfit that takes up social causes for the Vanniyars. A ‘most backward caste’, Vanniyars comprise about 12 per cent of the state’s population and over half of the total number of MBCs in the state. The northern areas of Tamil Nadu, known as the Vanniyar belt, has stood strongly behind the PMK.

But after the PMK became a political outfit, it widened its outlook and took up issues related to the other “oppressed communities”. However, “the strength of the party remains the staunchly loyal community members who vote for the party”, according to a rival party leader.

PMK is also a staunch sympathiser of the LTTE cause, despite the Congress opposition. It is also a Tamil chauvinist outfit, at times violently lashing out at organisations and individuals for “defiling” Tamil culture. In its formative years, PMK was a reactionary and impulsive party, like its founder Dr S. Ramadoss. Actress Khusboo was at the receiving end for her comments on pre-marital sex; actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth of the DMDK floated his party after a very public war of words between the two; and PMK has even taken on Rajnikanth in the past.

In 1996, of the five seats it contested, the party sent four members to the state assembly. Two years later, the party won four seats in the general elections and joined the NDA government at the Centre. In 2001, it struck an alliance with the AIADMK, winning 20 seats in the assembly elections. This understanding did not last long.

From being one of the bigger parties among minor ones, PMK grew in size and perception after joining the carefully stitched together United Progressive Alliance that took on the NDA-AIADMK combine in the state in 2004.

The UPA won all 39 constituencies in the state, with PMK winning the six seats allotted to the party and also garnered a RS nomination for Ramadoss’s son Anbumani. In the state elections in 2006, PMK won 18 seats.

DMK leaders refuse to give much mileage to PMK’s growth story, insisting that it was the alliance that helped the party. “That all the candidates who contested as part of the UPA have won the election is proof that it was the alliance strategy coupled with strong anti-incumbency that won them the elections,” said a DMK leader.

PMK shares good relations with Vaiko’s MDMK and the Viduthalai Chituthikal Katchi, two political parties that espouse the Lankan Tamils’ cause. After its expulsion from UPA, MDMK is now in the AIADMK camp.

As an outside supporter, PMK functioned like a virtual opposition. Ramadoss’s barbs hurt the DMK as it came from an ally in the state and partner at the Centre.

Though he is the senior-most member of the party and of the Vanniyar Sangam since the 1970s, Ramadoss has not contested any election nor has he sought any position for himself.

Spoke in wheel

SATELLITE CITIES: Within a few months of taking over, the DMK announced satellite cities in Chennai suburbs to decongest the city. In August 2006, soon after the government said it had identified land for the project, PMK got people in the area to protest. The government had to shelve the plan.

AIRPORT EXPANSION: The proposal was stalled following opposition from the PMK. This time too, the party sided with the “victims of land acquisition”, forcing the state to recommend an alternative proposal.

TATA PROJECT: In 2007 July, when the state government announced that Tata Group would set up a titanium dioxide plant in a southern district at over Rs 2,500 crore, PMK opposed, urging the government to consider setting up a plant on its own. The project was dropped.

SEZs: The PMK demanded that the private sector should not be allowed to acquire agricultural land for “profiteering”. Party also opposed the entry of big retailers.

SAND MINING: When the government decided to privatise sand mining, PMK said indiscriminate mining had led to the degradation of water resources in nearby areas.

FEE HIKE: When the state government decided to hike the annual fee for engineering seats under management quota, Ramadoss criticised the DMK for not consulting allies.