Lok Sabha polls | AIADMK invites VCK to join its alliance

The VCK would benefit if it joined the AIADMK, the party’s secretary D. Jayakumar said; he claimed if it joined the DMK, it wouldn’t be given any seats to contest from

AIADMK party secretary D. Jayakumar. File photograph

The AIADMK on Monday, March 4, 2024, invited the VIduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) to contest the Lok Sabha elections together.  

Interacting with the media, the party’s organisation secretary and former Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said “If they [VCK] come to us, they will benefit. If they remain with the DMK, they won’t get any seats. “ 

During the 2006 Assembly poll, the VCK was part of the AIADMK-led coalition and it won two seats (Kattumannarkoil and Mangalore) out of the nine it contested. It polled 4.26 lakh votes with about 1.3% in the vote shares.

Pointing out however that his party had its own identity, Mr. Jayakumar said, “We do not care though, if they [VCK} do not join us.” 

Mr. Jayakumar recalled that in the 2014 Lok Sabha election and the 2016 Assembly polls, the party had contested its own and had emerged triumphantly.  

Earlier, Mr. Jayakumar participated in a State-wide demonstration organised by the party against the drug menace in Tamil Nadu.