Chennai, May 2 (IANS): The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), the political arm of the powerful Vanniyar community of Tamil Nadu, has decided to strengthen the grassroots cadres in a bid to capture power in the state during the 2026 Assembly elections.

Party leader and former Union Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss have been travelling across the state to develop the party cadres. The youth leader of the party is exhorting its cadres not to indulge in mobile phone politics and instead have a grass root connect with the public and to attend to their basic needs.

He told the party leaders and cadres that the Vanniyar community is one of the biggest backward communities in the state along with the oppressed community. The former Union Minister said that the Vanniyar community and the oppressed community account for 40 per cent of the population and that for developing Tamil Nadu the two communities must develop.

The youth leader of the party also said that the party demands total alcohol prohibition in the state and added that reservation for deserving communities is on the agenda of the party.

The PMK leader also said that party district committees would be provided more power in lieu of the Dravidian parties wherein the district secretaries can take quick decisions on issues that come up time and again.

Dr Ramadoss also said that the cadres would work tirelessly for capturing power in Tamil Nadu during the 2026 Assembly elections.