Villupuram: PMK founder leader S Ramadoss on Saturday alleged his son Anbumani spied on him.

Speaking to reporters at his residence, against the backdrop of a running feud with his son, he asked: “Is there a son in this world who spied on his father? Yes, I have been spied.”

Asked whether it would be appropriate to allege that it was Anbumani who had planted a listening device as the police probe was still on, Ramadoss shot back, asking, “Who else could have planted it?

He alleged it was his son Anbumani who had planted the bugging device at his residence. Ramadoss said complaints had been filed by him with Kiliyanur police (Villupuram district) and the cybercrime wing as well. The bugging device and its parts had been handed over to the police.

Also, the services of a specialised private agency had also been requested by him, and it is also looking into the matter. The agency would give a report to him after completing its enquiry.

“The private agency’s services are only to help the police; it will only be helpful.”

The PMK top leader said a son should not surpass his father and quoted PM Narendra Modi’s speech days ago at Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

On July 27, Modi said Emperor Rajendra Chola, out of deep respect for his father Rajaraja Chola, built the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple’s gopuram shorter than that of his father’s Brihadeeswarar temple in Thanjavur. Despite his achievements, Rajendra Chola exemplified humility, the PM had said.

The PMK’s octogenarian leader said his party’s women’s conference will be held on August 10 in Poompuhar.

While Ramadoss and his son Anbumani have both convened the general council meeting, adding to the confusion within the party, the former said the PMK was founded, nurtured and built by him by way of his work in 96,000 villages.

“No one else can lay claim to the party,” Ramadoss asserted.

While he convened the party’s general council meeting on August 17, Anbumani, appointed by him as “working president”, has called for the GC meet on August 9, he said adding, “it is against the party rules.”

Explaining, Ramadoss said there should be a notice period of 15 days to members. The date of August 17, hence, is in complinace with that norm. Anyone else claiming to convene the GC meeting is against the party rules and law, he said.

In April, Ramadoss removed his son Anbumani from the position of party president and designated him as working president. Ramadoss had said he would be the party president.

The differences between father and son, over running the party, erupted in December 2024.