Aadhav Arjuna quits VCK, but vows to fight caste-discrimination

At the book launch, in which TVK president Vijay had also participated, Aadhav Arjuna criticised the “dynastic politics” of the DMK

Days after VCK founder Thol. Thirumavalavan suspended the party’s deputy general secretary and election strategist Aadhav Arjuna for six months over his statements at a book launch function, Mr. Arjuna quit the party on Sunday.

In a letter to the VCK president, Mr. Arjuna said he would, however, like to join hands with Mr. Thirumavalavan for causes such as annihilation of caste, ensuring social justice and political rights for ordinary people, opposing caste and religious majoritarianism, subordination of women, and corruption, among others. “When I express my rightful indignation, and when the welfare of the people is affected, it results in a discussion. And this is causing cracks between us. I don’t wish for that to happen. I don’t want to encourage debates around me. I would like to completely dissociate from the VCK. I would like to thank you and the party cadre for allowing me to function in the party,” he said in the letter.

“I joined the VCK to ensure that ordinary people who have been disenfranchised due to caste hegemony get power. I have no disagreements with the VCK’s ideology or its political position. I have no other plans besides the party’s expansion and growth in Tamil Nadu,” he added.

At the book launch, in which TVK president Vijay had also participated, Mr. Arjuna criticised the “dynastic politics” of the DMK. His decision to quit the party came soon after Mr. Thirumavalavan warned him against making controversial statements while under suspension.

“Nobody can put pressure on me to withdraw from the book launch,” Mr. Thirumavalavan said, in response to a query whether DMK Minister E.V. Velu had urged him not to participate in the event.

The Chidambaram MP further said: “I meet Mr. Velu often since we can’t meet the Chief Minister every time. I told him [Mr. Arjuna] about the meeting, and he may have assumed certain things. That is his point of view. But if he wanted to continue being a member of the VCK, he would have had to keep quiet for six months. Considering how he keeps making statements, it looks like he has other plans.”

With Mr. Arjuna’s exit, the VCK’s experiment of working with a political strategist has come to an end. In a conversation with The Hindu on Saturday evening, Mr. Arjuna, who worked with the DMK as a political strategist for the 2016, 2019 and 2021 elections, said that his only disagreement with Mr. Thirumavalavan was the pace at which the party was adapting to change for the development of Dalits in Tamil Nadu. “After the election campaigns in 2016, 2019 and 2021, Mr. Thirumavalavan had asked me to help him restructure the party. His ambition was to make the VCK the third-largest party in Tamil Nadu. In December, 2022, we conducted an awards function, formed booth committees, and appointed district secretaries. In January 2024, we organised the Vellum Sananayagam public rally. Then, he told me that it would be better if I joined the party. When I worked on the ground with the cadre, I found a lot of discrimination and poverty among the Dalits. The idea was to restructure the party and campaign for power sharing in the 2026 Assembly election,” he added.

Arguing that the VCK, as a party, would be weakened if it does not strike a power-sharing agreement in the 2026 Assembly election, Mr. Arjuna said, “As a strategist, I feel nobody will get a majority in the 2026 Assembly election as the AIADMK and the BJP are contesting separately. There will be a chance for the VCK to share power. When I made that statement, DMK leader A. Raja said the VCK should take action against me. Those within the VCK who favour the DMK began working against me. I was targeted by the DMK.”

“The VCK’s core vote is the Dalit vote. The Scheduled Caste population is 1.40 crore, of which the Adi Dravidar community accounts for around 92 lakh. There are around 50 lakh to 60 lakh voters who can be consolidated for the VCK. The DMK is giving the party six seats [to contest from], but is getting its [the VCK’s] votes in around 52 Assembly seats. The VCK’s vote share is much larger. Nobody can win on their own — be it the DMK or the AIADMK,” he said.

Akin to how Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu are sharing power with their allies, power should be shared in Tamil Nadu as well,” he added.