VCK’s strike rate a hope for its expansion

Four of its six candidates have won in the Assembly election

Expanding base: VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan leaving after meeting DMK president M.K. Stalin

With four of the six candidates of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), an ally of the DMK, winning in the Assembly election, including from two general constituencies, the party is overwhelmed.

“This has never happened in Tamil Nadu’s electoral history. While it [VCK] is not a Dalit party, it is a party headed by a Dalit [Thol. Thirumavalavan],” said its general secretary D. Ravikumar.

What is also significant for the Ambedkarite political party, which professes “anti-caste and anti-Hindutva” politics, is that its candidates were elected on its ‘pot’ symbol. In the last Lok Sabha poll, Mr. Thirumavalavan was elected on his own symbol, while Mr. Ravikumar won on the DMK’s ‘rising sun’ symbol.

The newly-elected MLAs are Sinthanai Selvan (Kattumannarkoil - Reserved), J. Mohammed Shanavas (Nagapattinam), S.S. Balaji (Thiruporur) and M. Babu (Cheyyur – Reserved). Two candidates — Vanni Arasu and Gowthama Sanna H. — lost the election in Vanur and Arakkonam constituencies. Mr. Shanavas and Mr. Balaji defeated candidates of the PMK, which is at loggerheads with the VCK.

In his initial reaction to the stunning performance by his party, Mr. Thirumavalavan had said, “The VCK has shattered hate politics by its victory. Those who tried to restrict, contain and isolate us as only a Dalit party have been defeated. This is a historical achievement for the Panthers.”

Mr. Ravikumar said the candidates had to surmount the AIADMK’s “money power”. “Our leader’s ideological conviction and individual charisma has ensured that the VCK gained acceptance in general constituencies as well. People have accepted us,” he said, adding that Mr. Balaji was a Vanniyar.

He said the results had shown that there was no need for senior alliance partners in the future to deny the party a chance to compete in general constituencies, fearing that it would not be able to win it.

Mr. Selvan felt the victory had shown that people had rejected casteist and religious forces. “Everyone knows that the AIADMK spent a lot of money, but the results have shown that people cannot be bought with money. People have rejected the casteist and religious forces,” he said.

There is also a view that the party will emerge as an important player in alliance formations in the future, especially in northern Tamil Nadu.