VCK minister Vanni Arasu drew a hard line in the sand on Sunday. If the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) enters the TVK-led alliance, VCK walks out. Arasu, who serves as the state’s Social Justice Minister, made this explicit at a party meeting in Tindivanam. He prioritized party principles over cabinet positions, stating that Thol Thirumavalavan and the VCK matter more to him than any ministerial post. The VCK has long opposed an alliance with the PMK, which it accuses of caste-based politics, and the BJP, which it views as communal. VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan has maintained this stance for over 15 years.
The rivalry runs deep. The VCK champions Dalit rights, while the PMK serves the interests of the Vanniyar community. For decades, these two parties have been political rivals. This makes accommodating both within the same alliance contentious. The speculation about a possible PMK entry gained momentum recently. The PMK, which fought the assembly election as an AIADMK ally, remained neutral in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram bypolls. They neither fielded candidates nor officially endorsed the AIADMK. This silence fueled questions about a possible realignment with TVK.
TVK school education minister and TVK leader Raj Mohan moved to defuse the tension on Monday. He sought to reassure the VCK, stating, “VCK is a pillar of our Secular Social Justice Alliance, our alliance is strong. Thol Thirumavalavan is our brother. There could be speculation but we know the truth.” PMK leadership, including party chief Anbumani Ramadoss and his MLA wife Soumya, dismissed reports of joining the TVK alliance as mere rumors. There has been no formal announcement of any such arrangement.
The issue is not just about ideology; it’s about arithmetic. The TVK has 107 MLAs in the 234-member assembly. They are 11 short of a majority. The coalition currently includes the Congress (five MLAs), the VCK and IUML (two MLAs each), with outside support from the CPI and CPM (two MLAs each). The PMK holds four MLAs. For TVK, adding the PMK could strengthen its numbers. However, it risks unsettling an existing ally whose political identity is tied to opposing the PMK. Chief Minister Vijay’s cabinet includes eight Dalit ministers, a key part of the government’s social justice positioning.
A TVK source indicated that the party is working towards building a “larger inclusive coalition.” They express hope that the VCK and PMK could reconcile their differences eventually. Whether these two longstanding rivals can find common ground remains a significant challenge. TVK must expand its political base while retaining its social justice positioning. The next bypoll or legislative session will test the strength of this fragile coalition.