DMK Ally’s Bold Moves In Tamil Nadu: What Is VCK Really Trying To Achieve?

When the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the pole-sitting Dalit party in Tamil Nadu, announced its comical anti-liquor conference, many felt that it was just a gambit to put early pressure on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) keeping in mind the 2026 state elections and seek more seats to contest from its ally.

When its leader Thol Thirumavalavan met Chief Minister M K Stalin and also farcically invited the DMK to join the anti-liquor conference, everyone was kind of convinced that the Dalit party was just grandstanding and seeking attention especially since it seemed to be losing grip over its vote bank. (The Dalits were miffed that both the DMK and the VCK had done nothing much to stop the continuing attacks on them in the state).

The point is the VCK's criticism of the DMK over the TASMAC issue was seen just as a play act. But the confounding events of the last three-four days seem to suggest that there may be more to the events than what strikes the eye.

Firstly, the deputy general secretary of the VCK, Aadhav Arjuna, brought to the fore the party's desire to share power in the DMK alliance in the state. He also said that the DMK cannot win in northern Tamil Nadu without the support of the VCK.

Arjuna Goes For The Jugular And Rattles The DMK 

But the moneyed Arjuna — he is the son-in-law of the 'lottery king  Martin', among the biggest donors to the DMK and other parties — did not stop with articulating the party's political dreams. He trained his guns on some of the holy cows of the DMK (Udhayanidhi Stalin and A Raja) with an unconcealed vehemence that belonged to a rival and not an ally.

Though he didn't take Udhayanidhi's name openly, his testy reference to people with just experience in films likely to become the deputy chief minister left no one in any doubt. Not stopping with that, Arjuna also went for the jugular as it were, as he dropped a veiled attack on Stalin himself.

He said  Thirumavalavan can speak for two hours without reading out from a paper. The reference here is not even veiled. For, everyone knows that Stalin is the one known to read from prepared notes (which is now jeering stuff for mocking memes).

Perhaps stung by the punchy attack, the DMK fielded its own Dalit leader A Raja to counter Arjuna's unbridled aggression. And in further defence, the DMK also probably sounded its die-hard backers within the VCK itself to silence Arjuna.  VCK general secretary and Villupuram MP, D Ravikumar, and others played down Arjuna's words as being: "factually untrue and politically immature".

But if one thought that this would be the end of it, then there were more surprises to follow. Thirumavalavan himself, in a speech among his party men, suggested that there wasn't much wrong in Arjuna's words vis-a-vis the party's goal of being officially part of the government with its own ministers.

And Arjuna himself wasn't finished as yet. He doubled down on his earlier strong remarks with more interviews to mainline news channels in Tamil. He again cocked a snook at the DMK and also specifically took the name of A Raja and rebutted his remarks. 

Whether the gloves are truly off or not as far as the VCK is concerned, it is more than abundantly clear that what it is letting loose is not friendly fire from an ambitious ally. What seems to be on view is a trigger-happy party out to take down a few chosen targets. The slew of interviews that Arjuna has given suggest that this is all part of a thought-out political plan.

So what exactly could that be? Is the VCK ready to walk away from the dominating shadows of the DMK? Or is it just a tad strong attempt to wangle more seats from the DMK when the elections arrive? It is too early to find a satisfying answer. 

But the VCK is evidently not ready to be taken for granted. It not only wants a share in the power pie in the state but also harbours bigger dreams of making it big in Delhi. "Can't I think of becoming the Prime Minister," thundered Thirumavalavan at a meeting recently. It could not be dismissed as a mere rhetorical crowing made in front of whistling party workers.

Thirumavalavan has mighty dreams of capturing the pan-Indian Dalit narrative. For that, he knows, he needs to be in charge of the Tamil Nadu narrative. The recent unfortunate events in the state have come in the way of that.

Now, he wants to recapture that, and for that he has sent the pinch-hitter Arjuna to bat in the middle. But it is not just some slam-bang stuff,  there is some method in Arjuna's madness. He has not been afraid to rake up fundamental issues of Dalit politics in the state. He has broached the subject of Dalits being used to win votes but never given important posts.

Of Dalits never being fielded in 'general seats' (they are allowed to contest only in 'reserved constituencies'). He also sharply pointed out that the December 2022 Vengaivayal issue (unidentified people mixed human faeces in the drinking water tank meant for Scheduled Caste communities at Vengaivayal village in Pudukottai district) has not been resolved yet despite pressure and it being a talking point.

Arjuna put DMK leader A Raja under a spot when he specifically asked why the latter has not spoken on the issue but steps up to counter him (Arjuna).

At Least The VCK Is Trying, But What About The Congress?

Is the VCK in touch with the All Indian Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)? In politics, every party has a line opened up with another. It is in the nature of this game. But what the VCK has surely done is to make the DMK squirm in its seat.

There are many red faces in the party and the party's troll army has, not surprisingly, gone hammer and tongs against Arjuna. But Thirumavalavan couldn't care less as he seems to have opened an interesting flank in pursuit of his grand goals. If anything, the coming days will throw up more intense drama.

Whether his or Arjuna's approach is just bluster and bravado or could pan out to something more meaningful for the party is difficult to predict, especially with more than a year to go for the polls in the state. But to be fair to him, Thirumavalavan is at least making a spirited bid. The Congress and the Communists, the other allies of the DMK, on the other hand, continue to be subservient and soporific.

The Congress, at least on paper, claims that its fortunes have been revived in recent times. But in Tamil Nadu there is hardly any evidence of it as it is, for all practical purposes, just a pastiche of the DMK without any idea or ideals of its own. 

But Thirumavalavan has made the DMK respond and rethink. With the VCK in such a belligerent mood, the 2026 election in the state has the potential to see some fizzy fireworks.