The Pattali Makkal Katchi is an Indian political party with its presence in Tamil Nadu. The Pattali Makkal Katchi party was founded by the present president of the party, Dr. S. Ramdoss in 1999. Before launching the party, Dr. S. Ramdoss was deeply involved with the Vanniyar Sangham (Vanniyar Union). A considerable portion of the party comprises the Vanniar caste, an OBC community. PMK fought for the segmentation of Tamil Nadu, a proposal looked at in-line with casteism. Pattali Makkal Katchi party makes up the northern half of the state. Before the 2004 elections, PMK joined the alliance of Tamil political front Democratic Progressive Alliance along with other parties like Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Indian National Congress, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Indian Union Muslim League.
Pattali Makkal Katchi believes in the political ideology of Social Democratic/Populist. The party was a part of the National Democratic Alliance till December 2003. So it was also part of the Indian Central government from the years 1999 to 2003. Pattali Makkal Katchi joined United Progressive Alliance after the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss from PMK is the present Health Minister under the Government of India. He is also son to S. Ramadoss. Greatest achievement of the Pattali Makkal Katchi party encompasses a battle launched against smoking and Philip Morris.
