VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan.
| Photo Credit: M. VEDHAN
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol. Thirumavalavan on Saturday defended the party’s electoral strategy amid criticism over a likely reduced seat share, saying the party was acting with a clear long-term perspective.
“We know our strengths. We make decisions knowing everything. I don’t make a decision in fear of anyone,” he said, adding that the party had begun receiving applications from party cadre seeking to contest the Assembly election, even as seat-sharing talks within the DMK-led alliance continue.
Addressing a press meet, Mr. Thirumavalavan said applications would be received from March 21 to 24, covering districts in phases. Describing the process as a democratic exercise, he said the party followed this practice in every election. Given the limited time available, formal interviews may not be feasible, he noted.
While acknowledging constraints in seat allocation, he expressed confidence that the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance would remain strong and secure public support. “I should not create unrealistic expectations. If things are clear, cadre will approach the process accordingly,” he said, adding that the party had conveyed this through internal discussions and a recent social media interaction.
On alliance negotiations, the VCK leader said talks were progressing smoothly and decisions would be taken keeping both party and coalition interests in mind. Referring to past electoral outcomes, he said factors such as fielding candidates from outside constituencies could influence results but added that such strategies had also yielded victories in several seats.
He said the party’s decisions were guided by long-term credibility rather than short-term electoral gains. “No matter how widely we work or how many issues we take up, there remains a social stigma in accepting us. We must gradually dismantle that and establish ourselves as a movement for all sections,” he said.
Mr. Thirumavalavan said expanding public trust was more important than short-term electoral gains. “Moving from single-digit to double-digit seats may appear as a temporary success, but building credibility is more important,” he said. On seat-sharing, he added that clarity on the number of constituencies the VCK would contest was expected in a couple of days.
Published – March 21, 2026 06:44 pm IST
