On Monday, Thol Thirumavalavan, the leader of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), met with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin amid growing controversy and speculation regarding the relationship between VCK and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). This high-profile meeting was convened against the backdrop of a viral video that sparked widespread rumors of a rift between the two parties, who have been longstanding political allies.
The controversy erupted when a video surfaced on Thirumavalavan’s X account. In the video, he was seen discussing sensitive topics such as power-sharing and seat allocations, which led to widespread speculation about potential tensions within the VCK-DMK alliance. The video was promptly removed from Thirumavalavan’s account, with the leader initially attributing the removal to issues with his administrative team. Despite this, the video reappeared on his account multiple times, only to be deleted again, which fueled further intrigue and speculation.
The meeting at the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, was intended to address these rumors and reinforce the strength of the political alliance between VCK and DMK. During the meeting, Thirumavalavan and his party leaders took the opportunity to publicly reassure supporters and the media that their relationship remains robust. Thirumavalavan announced that the DMK had agreed to participate in VCK’s anti-liquor conference, scheduled for October 2, highlighting the continued collaboration between the two parties.
After the meeting, Thirumavalavan addressed the media, emphasizing that the primary purpose of his visit was to congratulate Chief Minister Stalin on his recent successful tour of the United States and to extend an invitation for the anti-liquor conference. He confirmed that Stalin had accepted the invitation, and it was announced that senior DMK leaders RS Bharati and TKS Elangovan would represent the party at the event.
Regarding the viral video and the speculation surrounding it, Thirumavalavan attributed the repeated uploads and deletions to a "technical error" caused by administrative issues. He suggested that external forces, including anti-DMK and Sangh Parivar elements, we're amplifying the issue to create unnecessary tension between VCK and DMK. Thirumavalavan maintained that the video’s content had been misinterpreted and that the issue had been blown out of proportion.
On the matter of power-sharing, Thirumavalavan reaffirmed VCK’s long-standing position. He explained that the party has been advocating for power-sharing since 1999 and would continue to do so. He assured that discussions on power-sharing would occur at the appropriate time, emphasizing that VCK remains committed to its principles while also maintaining a strong and cooperative relationship with the DMK.
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