Chennai, May 29 -- With the crucial Assembly elections less than a year away, the simmering differences in the Vanniyar-dominated Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK's), first family, deepened further on Thursday as tensions escalated between its founder Dr. S. Ramadoss and his son and Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss.

The differences between had widened to such an extent with Dr Ramadoss openly admitting that he had made a grave mistake by making Anbumani as the Union Minister.

PMK is a key political player in Tamil Nadu wielding considerable clout among the Vanniyars in Northern districts like Villupuram, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and nighbouring districts.

The fresh internal political crisis in the family culminated in the re...