The words of the VCK deputy general secretary at a recent event seem to have caused some discomfort in the DMK-led alliance.
VCK chief Thirumavalavan did accept that Arjuna’s statement had caused confusion within the alliance, but said he did not subscribe to it.
“We would seek an explanation from him for his speech. However, VCK does not subscribe to it. He (Arjuna) did not speak at the forum as the deputy general secretary of the party, but as a founder of Voice of Commons,” Thirumavalavan told the media.
Thirumavalavan was also supposed to participate in the book launch event as one of the chief guests, however, he chose to stay away, terming it “a conspiracy to cause confusion within the ruling DMK alliance”.
Leadership in Tamil Nadu should not be determined by lineage but by ideology, asserted Aadhav Arjuna, VCK Deputy General Secretary and founder of Voice of Commons, on Friday.
Speaking at a book launch event dedicated to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in Chennai, he called for an end to dynastic politics by 2026, coinciding with the state assembly elections.
Highlighting the rise of the BJP in 2014, Arjuna noted that the party capitalized on anti-corruption and anti-dynasty sentiments to secure power at the Centre, maintaining its dominance ever since. “No one has been able to challenge the BJP effectively so far,” he remarked.
He urged actor and TVK leader Vijay to take a firm stand against the dynastic and corrupt practices of Tamil Nadu’s ruling party. He also emphasized the underrepresentation of Dalit leaders in the state’s general constituencies, contrasting it with Uttar Pradesh, where a Dalit candidate secured victory in Faizabad during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“Tamil Nadu has a Dalit population of 1.4 crore, yet not a single Dalit candidate is fielded in general constituencies. While Dravidian and Tamil nationalist ideologies emphasize equality, the reality is skewed by caste-based vote bank politics,” he stated.
Arjuna also raised concerns about unresolved caste-based discrimination, citing the Vengavayal incident, where human waste was allegedly dumped into a water tank used by Scheduled Caste residents. He attributed such incidents to the caste-oriented election of MLAs and ministers.
On Friday, Vijay released the book Ellarukumana Thalaivar Ambedkar (Everyone’s Leader Ambedkar), a compilation of essays about Ambedker written by Ambedkarites across the state, including VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan.
The book was published by Vikatan Publications along with Voice of Commons (VoC), a political consultancy firm founded by Aadhav Arjuna, who is also the VCK deputy general secretary.