Just 6 months after being stripped of his DMK Deputy General Secretary post for making vulgar and derogatory remarks about Hindu traditions and women, former Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K Ponmudi is set to be reinstated to the same party position, ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
According to a post on its X handle, the DMK announced the appointment of Ponmudi and senior leader MP Swaminathan as new Deputy General Secretaries expanding the current list of office bearers from five to seven.
தி.மு.க. துணைப் பொதுச்செயலாளர்கள் நியமனம்
– தலைமைக் கழக அறிவிப்பு#DMK pic.twitter.com/59ZgElmcNT
— DMK (@arivalayam) November 4, 2025
The move has triggered unease within sections of the party and among critics who view it as a reward for a leader mired in controversy.
In April 2025, Ponmudi had provoked nationwide outrage after making obscene comments about Shaivism and Vaishnavism, alongside indecent remarks about women, at a public event organised by the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam in Chennai.
While addressing the gathering, he narrated a crude anecdote equating the sacred forehead markings of Shaivites and Vaishnavites with sexual positions. The minister said:
“A man goes to the home of a sex worker. She asked if he was a Shaivaite or Vaishnavite… She said if you are Shaivaite, it means intercourse in a lying position, and if Vaishnavite, intercourse in a standing position.”
This is DMK’s standard of political discourse in Tamil Nadu. Thiru Ponmudi was once the Higher Education Minister of Tamil Nadu & now Minister for Forests and Khadi, and the youth of Tamil Nadu are expected to tolerate this filth? Not just this Minister, the entire DMK ecosystem… pic.twitter.com/ENMq47hiPf
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) April 11, 2025
The remarks went viral and drew strong condemnation from Hindu groups, women’s rights activists, and opposition parties, including the BJP, which filed police complaints against him.
Following the backlash, advocate B Jagannath filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Madras High Court seeking Ponmudi’s dismissal from the state cabinet, arguing that his comments violated his constitutional responsibilities as a public servant and insulted the religious sentiments of millions.
Under public pressure, Ponmudi issued an apology on 12 April 2025, saying, “I sincerely apologize for the words I used. It was a lapse in judgment. I regret having caused offense and embarrassment to many.”
Despite the apology, the DMK removed him from his Deputy General Secretary post to contain the controversy though he was allowed to continue as Forest Minister, a decision that drew criticism for its perceived double standards. Following the outrage and sustained public pressure including opposition demands and a Madras High Court directive, Ponmudi resigned from the cabinet as well. The Governor of Tamil Nadu accepted his resignation, and his portfolio was reassigned to another minister.
Now, with the 2026 polls nearing, Stalin’s decision to reportedly reinstate Ponmudi has raised eyebrows within political circles. The move comes amid efforts to strengthen district-level leadership, with Ponmudi likely to be entrusted with responsibility for the Villupuram district, where the party has faced organizational slack.
Party insiders claim that since Villupuram Minister MRK Panneerselvam hails from neighbouring Cuddalore and cannot oversee local activities full-time, Ponmudi is being brought back for “electoral management.”
(Source: Samayam Tamil)
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