President of the VCK Thol. Thirumavalavan. | Photo credit: S. Shiva Raj
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) President and MP Chidambaram Thol. Thirumavalavan on Saturday announced that he would not contest the 2026 assembly elections from Kattumannarkoil, reversing his earlier decision, saying the move was a “change in strategy” to protect the DMK-led alliance.
Instead, the VCK fielded Jothimani, son of well-known anti-caste leader L. Elayaperumal, from Kattumannarkoil. Mr. Thirumavalavan said the decision was also intended to honor the late Congress leader’s legacy and continue the party’s commitment to social justice.
Addressing reporters, Mr. Thirumavalavan said that he initially decided to join the assembly driven by a long-standing desire and feeling that the upcoming elections would be politically significant. But he said the recent controversy surrounding his decision had the potential to weaken the Secular Progressive Alliance.
“Since my intentions have been misrepresented and downplayed, I have decided not to proceed with my earlier decision,” he added.
Explaining his earlier decision to contest, Mr. Thirumavalavan recalled that he had narrowly lost the Kattumannarkoil seat by 87 votes in 2016 as part of the People’s Welfare Front. “If certain postal votes were counted properly, I would have won,” he said, adding that a victory could then keep him in assembly politics. He noted that he returned to Parliament in 2019 and briefly considered moving to the Assembly in 2021, although the idea did not fully materialize at the time. “That feeling stayed with me,” he said.
The 2026 elections were not “ordinary”, Mr Thirumavalavan said, claiming that right-wing forces were making “calculated moves” in Tamil Nadu and had been trying to weaken the secular alliance for more than a year. He claimed that he, the VCK and himself were the targets of attempts to isolate him politically.
Rejecting speculation that his decision was driven by personal ambitions, Mr. Thirumavalavan rejected claims that he was seeking power, eyeing the post of deputy chief minister or anticipating a hung assembly.
He said his earlier decision to run stemmed solely from a desire to join the assembly and that he could still influence political outcomes without being a member. Mr. Thirumavalavan also dismissed allegations that the denial of tickets to some sitting MLAs was linked to their perceived closeness to the DMK. The selection of candidates, he said, was guided by considerations of social justice and the need to provide opportunities for new entrants amid intense competition for a limited number of seats.
The president of the VCK claimed that his decision to step down should not be seen as a step down. “In politics, moving forward is a strategy, but stepping back is also a strategy,” he said.
Published – 04 Apr 2026 22:34 IST
