PMK will weed out non performers, bring in youth power: Ramadoss

Restructuring the party at lower levels, changing communication strategy to bottom-up approach while continuing with the decision to keep away from aligning with AIADMK or DMK till parliamentary polls is what the PMK is planning now, said a senior leader.

"We have decided to restructure the party at the ground level weeding out non-performers and bringing in more youth power. As per our calculations bulk of the people who voted for us in the assembly polls are below 40," MP and youth wing president Anbumani Ramadoss told IANS.

According to Ramadoss a former union minister, the youth voter segment is expected to grow in the coming years which is a positive feature for the party propagating - growth and progress.

Ramadoss said under the proposed structure programme women will be given important positions at the grass root level.

"With the help of technology, the party's policies will be communicated to the grass root level leaders. I will also be in touch with them directly," Ramadoss said.

According to him, there will not be any change in the party hierarchy at the top level.

On the party's proposed communication strategy Ramadoss said: "Core philosophy of our policies and programmes have reached and found acceptance from the top, middle and even lower middle class people."

"Now our communication strategy will be bottom-up approach. We will propagate the benefits of our policies to the poor class in simple terms," he added.

According to him, the party carried out a positive electoral campaign and the people have responded to it well.

Agreeing that his participation in the Lok Sabha proceedings were affected due to his preoccupation with the PMK's preparations for the May 16 assembly polls Ramadoss representing the Dharmapuri constituency in Tamil Nadu said his focus now would shift to parliament.

"I would raise issues of national importance like formulating a National Alcohol Policy, scrapping medical entrance exams in addition to the issues that Tamil Nadu faces," he said.

"I will also focus more on agriculture technology and other issues that would affect the farm sector like shale gas exploration, laying of gas pipeline on farm lands. The Karnataka's decision to build a dam across river Cauvery will also be raised in the Lok Sabha," Ramadoss said.

Ramadoss said he would also stress on the necessity of banning opinion polls after notification of elections by the Election Commission.