PMK chief hosts dinner for CM, his Cabinet colleagues

Days after inking a poll pact with the ruling AIADMK, Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S Ramadoss Friday hosted a dinner at his farm house near here for Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his Cabinet colleagues.

The PMK chief had his first meeting with the ruling party top brass after the agreement and discussed poll preparations over dinner at his Thailapuram residence, about 135 km from here, PMK sources said.

AIADMK signed a poll deal on February 19 with the PMK allocating to the latter seven Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha nomination in the current year.

Besides Palaniswami, AIADMK coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, ministers including P Thangamani, S P Velumani, C Ve Shanmugam and K P Anabalagan were present at the sprawling farm house.

When the Chief Minister and his deputy arrived along with their Cabinet colleagues, they were accorded a warm reception by Ramadoss and his son Anbumani, who is the Dharmapuri Lok Sabha MP.

Ramadoss explained the significance of paintings in his house, in a show of bonhomie.

Leaders of both the parties did not immediately make any comments about the deliberations.