Describing the electoral alliance between the PMK and the AIADMK as a “principled and natural alliance”, PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Saturday called upon the rank and file of his party to rise to the occasion and ensure that the alliance emerged victorious in all the 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Speaking at the party’s general council meeting, he said the PMK would never deviate from its core policies and appealed to the cadre to work towards securing victory.

He asked party workers to ignore the criticism levelled against the PMK by those opposed to its alliance with the AIADMK and the BJP.

“The cadre should not bother about such criticism and should instead work towards fulfilling the alliance’s goal of winning all the 40 seats. The PMK will stand by its policies and principles. Though we will be part of an alliance, we will not compromise on our principles,” he said.

Mr. Ramadoss said party workers should strive to ensure the victory of alliance partners in the Lok Sabha polls and the bypolls to 21 seats.

Fellow PMK leader and Dharmapuri MP Anbumani Ramadoss defended the decision to team up with the AIADMK, saying the alliance would sweep all the 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. “Our main objective is the development of Tamil Nadu,” he said.

He too urged party workers not to pay heed to those criticising the PMK’s approach to the Lok Sabha polls, and urged them to prepare for the local body elections as well. He said everyone knew that the PMK was a champion of social justice. “Our performance in the Parliamentary election will be a deciding factor in our future battles. The workers must put in efforts, keeping in mind the local body polls,” he said.

Resolution on poll pact

The general council adopted a resolution thanking Mr. Ramadoss for clinching an alliance with the AIADMK. The resolution stated that the alliance between the PMK and the AIADMK was a “natural alliance”, with which the BJP had also joined hands. Many other parties were expected to join the front, it claimed.

The resolution hailed the poll pact as a “victorious alliance” that would strive for the development of Tamil Nadu. The party had put forth a 10-point charter of demands. Most of the demands will be met soon, the resolution said.