PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has urged the Tamil Nadu Government to sue Karnataka for ₹1,000 crore in compensation over water-sharing disputes affecting farmers.

At a party function held in Salem on Sunday (August 23, 2026), Dr. Anbumani said that the Karnataka’s ‘failure’ to release Cauvery water had severely affected Kuruvai cultivation in Tamil Nadu. Until now two lakh acres in the Delta region have had no water for irrigation. The super El Nino effect had disrupted the southwest monsoon, reducing the chances of rain till November. Therefore, Samba cultivation is likely to be affected as well. While there is 90% water in Karnataka’s dams, that state refuses to share water. Following heavy rain in Wayanad, Kabini dam receives water and the surplus water is discharged to Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu government should fight to get its share of water from Karnataka.

Demanding an all-party meeting on the proposed Mekedatu project, Dr. Anbumani said Karnataka had said it would only use 5 tmc for the drinking water needs of Bengaluru, and leave the rest for Tamil Nadu. Would Karnataka agree if Tamil Nadu were to construct a dam and provide water to Bengaluru?

On caste census, Dr. Anbumani said that PMK founder S. Ramadoss had met with former Chief Ministers including M.G. Ramachandran, M. Karunanidhi, Edappadi K. Palaniswami and M.K. Stalin regarding the issue. But, they did not do anything. “After the TVK government came to power, I met with Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay in this regard and the government accepted the demand of the caste census. Now the announcement has come and the PMK will push for its implementation,” he said.

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday demanded that the Tamil Nadu government release a white paper on the financial position and functioning of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), alleging that the planning authority had been pushed into a financial crisis and was unable to meet even salary payments without government assistance.

In a statement, Dr. Anbumani referred to reports that the CMDA had sought ₹200 crore from the State government to pay salaries and meet immediate expenses. He said the government should explain how an organisation that had functioned as a financially self-sustaining body since its establishment in 1972 had reached such a state.

He alleged that the CMDA’s financial position had deteriorated after it was made to undertake infrastructure projects instead of focusing on its core function of granting planning permissions.

While Chennai required major infrastructure development, Dr. Anbumani said such works should have been carried out by the State government and the Greater Chennai Corporation, not the CMDA. He further alleged that infrastructure contracts awarded through the CMDA during the previous DMK government involved irregularities.

Former Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) MLA R. Arul said on Thursday (July 16) that PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss did not have any leadership qualities.

Mr. Arul, who was known as a strong supporter of PMK founder S. Ramadoss, held a meeting with his supporters and the cadre who supported Dr. Ramadoss in Salem, during which a sheet was given to the participants, asking their choice between joining a party or starting a new one. In the meeting, five resolutions were passed, including the one demanding that the government divide Salem district into three districts for administrative purposes.

“Happy to see Dr. Ramadoss and his son, Anbumani, united again. PMK was founded by Dr. Ramadoss, and he made Dr. Anbumani a Union Minister. But Dr. Anbumani likened the supporters of Dr. Ramadoss to a drain. Dr. Anbumani asked us many times to join his faction, but we (Dr. Ramadoss supporters) stand behind the party founder. The vote percentage of PMK was reduced to 2.1% from 5.2%. We are unable to understand the silence of Dr. Ramadoss,” Mr. Arul said.

Alleging that there were no leadership qualities in Dr. Anbumani, Mr. Arul added: “We will not accept Dr. Anbumani as our leader.”

Mr. Arul said they travelled with Dr. Ramadoss for the past 37 years, and when he renounced politics, they held a meeting with his supporters. “We asked their views on whether to start a new party or to join other parties. All parties, including the AIADMK and the DMK, invited us to join their party and the doors of the ruling TVK, too, opened for us. We will go through the views of the participants in the meeting and will make a decision soon,” Mr. Arul added.