Our cadre look for 25 seats, says VCK leader

Vanni Arasu, a deputy general secretary of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), said on Monday that the party workers expected the leadership to seek at least 25 Assembly constituencies from the DMK in the 2026 Assembly election. His remarks came after the party highlighted its aspiration for a share in power in Tamil Nadu.

Despite VCK founder and Chidambaram MP Thol. Thirumavalavan’s repeated insistence that the DMK-led alliance is rooted in an ideology, the demand has again cast doubts on the future of the VCK’s continuance in the alliance.

While Mr. Vanni Arasu told the cadre’s aspiration to a private television news channel, some senior VCK leaders are unsure how airing such an expectation a full 18 months before the election would help the party. But some others feel that the expectation of the workers should be voiced to keep them enthused.

“This is not a demand. It is my individual wish and the wish of the cadre. Finally, the party chief will take a decision. We still have a year to go for the election. The VCK is a strong party. My wish is that the seats should be commensurate with the party’s strength. It is not my intention to create tension in the alliance,” Mr. Vanni Arasu said.

Responding to the remarks, Mr. Thirumavalavan said it was Mr. Vanni Arasu’s individual opinion and not the party’s stand. “Only during the seat-sharing negotiations will we speak about the number of seats we want. We cannot keep the number of seats a pre-condition. We have never done it,” he said. He added, “We have already contested in 10 constituencies as part of the DMK-led alliance. It is natural to feel that we must contest in more constituencies. We will take a decision after considering the demands of other allies.”

A senior VCK leader said the party managed to gain a lot by being a key player in the DMK-led alliance. “Previously, we would protest to get things done. Today, we are able to meet those in power to get things done. It is wrong for the critics to say that we have lost our character to protests. I see this demand as the aspiration to win more seats,” he said.

A VCK MLA said that while the party should aspire for more constituencies, it would be no small task to find the candidates, identify the constituencies that the party could win, and find the money to contest in so many constituencies.