Tamil Nadu’s tallest Dalit chief Thol Thirumavalavan – the chief of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a key ally of the ruling DMK – has confronted a number of challenges in his exceptional political profession, however this one gave the impression to be completely different. For this didn’t come from casteist or communal politics, however arose out of his personal get together.
Aadhav Arjuna, the son-in-law of the controversial “lottery king” Santiago Martin, had risen within the VCK ranks quickly regardless of triggering numerous controversies and taking intention on the DMK management. Even after a number of VCK leaders warned him towards Arjuna, Thirumavalavan didn’t act.
On Monday, Thirumavalavan suspended Arjuna from the VCK, stating that his actions had prompted “extreme hurt to the get together’s repute and goodwill”. He additionally asserted his get together’s dedication to self-discipline and unity amid rising “inner and exterior” pressures.
Thirumavalavan was stated to be dropping his grip on his get together in latest months. Arjuna joined the VCK in January 2024 and was quickly appointed because the get together’s deputy basic secretary regardless of not being a Dalit face or a politician with a longtime observe report. Many attributed his fast rise to his “cash energy”.
After becoming a member of the VCK, Arjuna held a number of conferences in a bid to streamline the get together, organised a convention of its sales space brokers moreover holding conferences towards caste discrimination and liquor consumption. “His promise to restructure the get together, energise our base, induct non-Dalits into our cadre fold, and get electoral success have been all fascinating. We watched it with unease within the preliminary months,” stated a VCK chief.
“Thirumavalavan selected his personal to induct Arjuna and knowledgeable us later,” stated one other VCK chief. “There have been warnings from DMK. They instructed us Arjuna was hassle. However Thiruma (as Thirumavalavan is named by his followers) ignored it.”
In line with DMK sources, Arjuna had been related to the M Ok Stalin-led get together since 2016 as part of its model technique staff linked to Prashanth Kishore. He sought the DMK’s tickets to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the 2021 Meeting polls, however was “not entertained” on each events. He was additionally additionally denied a Rajya Sabha seat nomination that he demanded later. “We made it clear to him that we can’t promote him politically except he works within the get together for at the very least few years. This pressured him to go to VCK after 2022,” stated a DMK insider.
After his model technique agency “Voice of Commons” performed numerous surveys for the VCK in 2022-2023 with the avowed goal to “strengthen the VCK’s model”, Arjuna joined the get together in early 2024, the place he additionally sought a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls. “Thirumavalavan responded positively to his want. VCK additionally requested DMK for an additional seat within the basic class for him, however DMK stated no. They pointed to unchanged seat allocations for all allies,” a VCK chief stated.
The DMK’s refusal upset Arjuna. “He thought VCK was the ladder to his desires. When denied, he began talking out towards DMK, calling for correct power-sharing in CM Stalin’s Cupboard. He criticised Udhayanidhi Stalin changing into Deputy CM, calling him only a movie actor. He welcomed AIADMK for a convention we deliberate. He was the primary to tweet to reward Vijay’s maiden political rally (after the launch of his get together) and his speech wherein the movie star attacked DMK. The cracks widened. However nonetheless, Thiruma was reluctant to take cognisance of troubles created by Arjuna,” a VCK chief stated.
What appeared to have sealed Arjuna’s destiny within the VCK was his remarks made at a high-profile perform held final Friday for the launch of a e book, Ellarukumana Thalaivar Ambedkar (Ambedkar: A frontrunner for all), wherein he invited Vijay as an alternative of CM Stalin, forcing his personal chief Thirumavalavan to choose out of it. “I used to be knowledgeable about Arjuna’s planning for the e book launch occasion. Whilst I made a decision to skip it, I instructed him to attend it as he labored behind the occasion for a lot of months. I did ask him to watch out in his speech, however he didn’t (observe),” Thirumavalavan stated Saturday.
Sharing the stage with Vijay, who made fiery remarks towards the DMK-led alliance, Arjuna additionally made a hard-hitting speech. He referred to as the DMK dispensation a “monarch’s rule” and accused it of allegedly controlling the Tamil cinema by way of political energy.
Vijay alleged that Thirumavalavan stayed away from the occasion below the DMK’s stress. Moreover Arjuna’s speech, praising Vijay’s ideology and calling him a brand new chief of the poor, the occasion organised by his agency stored the highlight on the actor-turned-politician. Vijay’s speech was broadcast with a “dramatic digital camera angle” often reserved for superstars.
“This embarrassment might have been averted,” one other VCK chief stated. “Thiruma took him in, ignoring recommendation. DMK had warned us earlier than the 2024 polls itself. They knew him. They instructed us to not belief him,” he stated.
Arjuna’s rise and fall comes at an important time of Tamil Dalit politics. In July, BSP chief Armstrong was murdered in Chennai, which highlighted gang rivalries however filmmaker and Dalit activist Pa Ranjith, at a protest rally over it, questioned your complete political spectrum, together with the DMK, for “denying” Dalits satisfactory area regardless of the dominance of the Dravidian events.
Regardless of accounting for over 21% of the state’s inhabitants, Dalits maintain few management positions in main events. The contemporary Dalit assertion seeks to underline that the social inclusion stays elusive within the state whilst welfare schemes and reservation have empowered many belonging to the neighborhood.
Amid this unfolding state of affairs, Thirumavalavan inducted Arjuna as a “gamble”, stated a VCK insider. “Arjuna introduced cash and power, however his ambitions remained unbridled. He was good at shows and argued with knowledge. He instructed Thiruma a number of instances that he ought to develop past what he’s, that he also can develop into deputy CM and even CM. All that could be good. However Arjuna, like a very good enterprise strategist, noticed VCK as only a stepping stone for himself,” he charged.
A senior AIADMK chief focused Arjuna, saying that “Thiruma is taller than anybody in Tamil politics. He’s one chief who labored exhausting and developed over time. He instructions as a lot respect as Stalin or Edappadi Ok Palaniswami.”
A DMK minister stated, “Thirumavalavan made certain that he developed over time, deserted his slim Tamil Dalit id to get accepted throughout the Indian political circle. He made buddies in every single place. Most likely the one setback or a disaster he confronted in his profession was in 2004, when he resigned his MLA place because the VCK left the DMK alliance. That was additionally a political gamble, however one born out of ideology. Sadly, this one (Arjuna case) was completely different.”
For Thirumavalavan, the storm is way from over. The get together stays tied to the DMK, its strongest ally. “However the cracks are displaying. How Thirumavalavan handles this second will outline his legacy. For our management is not going to simply belief VCK within the subsequent elections till they seal the alliance pact. As a result of that is not nearly Arjuna. It’s about belief,” the minister added.
