Thol Thirumavalavan, chief of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), on Saturday, February 7, said that his party would not continue in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led alliance if the latter decided to ally with the S Ramadoss-led Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). He made the statement amid discussions on alliance formations ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Thirumavalavan made these remarks in an interview to Puthiyathalaimurai while speaking about alliance possibilities in the run-up to the polls.
“The BJP propagates hate politics against minorities on the basis of religion, while the PMK does the same on the basis of caste and against Dalits. We have taken a clear decision in this regard. We will never ally with the BJP or the PMK, parties that sow hatred in the name of social engineering. We also refuse to be part of any coalition that includes these parties,” he said.
He further said that while his party would not pressure the DMK on matters of coalition, the VCK would not be able to sustain itself in an alliance that included these parties.
“We have the freedom to make decisions based on our principles. We will not try to pressure the DMK in matters relating to alliance formation. However, if the DMK takes a decision that is contradictory to our principles, we will be left with no choice but to leave the alliance,” he said.
Thirumavalavan said the decision was made in the interest of maintaining the party’s credibility, adding that credibility required demonstrating that principles would not be compromised due to electoral pressures.
The VCK is a key ally in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which comprises more than ten parties, including the VCK, Congress, the Communist Party of India (CPI), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)].
The last time the VCK and the PMK contested together under the DMK alliance was during the 2011 Assembly elections. While the PMK won three seats, the VCK failed to secure any. The two parties have since been in conflict over caste dynamics in the state, with the VCK representing Dalit communities, while the PMK draws its core support from the Vanniyar community, classified as a Most Backward Class in Tamil Nadu.
The statement comes amid speculation that a faction of the PMK, led by its founder Dr S Ramadoss, may be considering joining the DMK alliance.
While the PMK has so far been part of the AIADMK-led alliance, the party recently split into two factions, one led by Ramadoss and the other by his son, Anbumani Ramadoss.
The latter faction has announced its alliance with the NDA, on the condition that the Ramadoss-led faction is not included in the NDA–AIADMK front.