The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) signed a memorandum with the DMK for the upcoming Assembly elections and will contest in six constituencies in Tamil Nadu. The VCK on Thursday sealed the deal despite originally demanding 10 seats to be allotted. VCK will also contest on an independent symbol as opposed to DMK’s rising sun symbol.
Showing the memorandum to the media on Thursday, VCK chief Thirumavalavan said, “We have decided to contest in six constituencies. VCK members initially protested against this but considering the political situation and the future of Tamil Nadu, we understood that continuing with DMK is important. We also want to completely curb the victory of Sanathana forces.”`
“We have accepted the offer to keep the BJP forces away. If secular forces split, then the BJP will attempt to nullify the politics based on social justice. All the parties of Makkal Nala Kootani have started to travel with DMK from 2017 since we want to establish an anti-caste and anti-Sanatana government.”
Our agenda is to keep the Sanatana forces away from the electoral politics, he said.Further, Thirumavalavan alleged the BJP is with AIADMK but are also working to bring an end to the Dravidian party.
Earlier VCK members had told TNM that they had demanded at least 10 seats. However, DMK started the negotiations with 4-5 seats.
The VCK had in 2016 contested as part of the Makkal Nala Kootani or the People’s Welfare Front along with parties like the MDMK, CPI, CPI(M) and the DMDK. However, the alliance failed to win a single seat in the 2016 Assembly elections and the Makkal Nala Kootani split soon after.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the VCK joined the DMK-led alliance and contested from two seats. VCK chief Thirumavalavan, who successfully contested on an independent poll symbol, won by a slim margin from Chidambaram parliamentary constituency, while his party colleague Ravikumar, who contested on the DMK’s rising sun symbol, emerged victorious in Villupuram.
The party, which was part of the DMK alliance in the 2011 Assembly Elections, had been allotted 10 seats that year. However, the VCK failed to win a single seat that election, which saw the AIADMK under Jayalalithaa sweep the polls.
In 2006, the VCK contested nine seats as part of the AIADMK alliance and emerged victorious in two seats.