By IANS,
Chennai : Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss Friday said he was “ready to resign” from the union cabinet whenever the party asks him to do so.
“I will resign the moment the party asks me to do so,” Ramadoss said here, when asked whether he would quit the union cabinet now that his PMK has been ousted from the DMK-led ruling alliance in Tamil Nadu.
Anbumani is the son of PMK founder S. Ramadoss and the son-in-law of state Congress president M. Krishnasamy.
However, the PMK, in a resolution at its general council’s emergency meeting Friday, extended “unconditional support to the Indo-US nuclear deal”.
This was the first meeting of senior PMK leaders, after the ruling DMK said Tuesday it would no longer be an ally of the PMK.
The rift occurred following months of criticism of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi by Ramadoss.
The crisis precipitated Tuesday after senior DMK leaders displayed a CD, containing abusive remarks about the DMK by popular PMK leader J. Guru, also known as ‘Kaduvetti’ Guru.
The DMK alleged that Ramadoss had “not taken any action against Guru for violating coalition dharma”.
However, following attempts at a rapprochement by Dalit leader T. Thirumavalavan, DMK supremo Karunanidhi Friday relented to say, “the ties would be reconsidered if Guru apologised”.
But in its unanimous resolution adopted at the general council meeting chaired by PMK president G.K. Mani Friday afternoon, the party said, “We are neither rattled nor surprised at the DMK’s decision.”
It alleged the DMK’s “decision was pre-meditated”. Refuting DMK charges that the PMK criticism of the government was baseless, the party said, “The PMK always raises issues concerning people”.
PMK legislator T. Velmurugan said, “A conspiracy is being hatched within DMK and without Karunanidhi’s knowledge to hand over the party to an outsider. Karunanidhi is a victim of betrayal, the PMK’s exit from the alliance is no loss to us.”