Vijay who recently launched his political party TVK participated in the book release function with VCK's Aadhav Arjuna where both of them questioned DMK's dynastic politics.
Published Dec 08, 2024 | 4:21 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 08, 2024 | 4:21 PM
Aadhav Arjuna and Vijay during the book launch.
A book release function is rarely a headline-grabbing event. However, in the Tamil Nadu political circles, the release of a book on Babasaheb Ambedkar has created a buzz.
On 6 December, actor Vijay who recently launched his political party Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), participated in the release function of the book Ellorukumana Thalaivar Ambedkar (Ambedkar, the Leader for all).
On the stage with him was Aadhav Arjuna, a former election strategist for the ruling DMK and now the Deputy General Secretary of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi(VCK), a Dalit party and ally of the DMK in the state.
The event had run into controversy even earlier as an invitation had been extended to Thol Thirumavalavan, the leader of the VCK, an invitation he had turned down. While Aadhav Arjuna was on stage as a co-publisher of the book, he was identified by most as being a representative of the VCK.
In his speech, Arjuna, son-in-law of “Lottery King” Santiago Martin who has donated over ₹500 crore in electoral bonds to the DMK, launched an assault against the ruling party and more particularly its heir apparent.
He thundered that the people of the state would end monarchy in 2026 and with it, the possibility of a person becoming the chief minister by virtue of his birth.
The reference clearly was to Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of the Chief Minister MK Stalin who was recently made the deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
Incidentally, this was not the first instance of Arjuna taking on the DMK. He has been critical of the state government on several issues recently and had openly taken a stance that many in his party differed with.
With TVK chief Vijay also launching a broadside against the DMK at the same function, more or less echoing Arjuna’s sentiments, the battle lines appear drawn.
The fracas has left Thirumavalavan in a bind. His close associates in the party want him to expel Arjuna and show his commitment to their alliance partner DMK.
Many of them including Thirumavalavam himself, owe their Parliament or Assembly seats to the DMK and with 2026 not too far away, many of them are against rocking the alliance boat.
However, Thirumavalavan has not taken any action against Arjuna yet, leaving many to think that he was playing a double game or he was powerless to act against him for some reason.
Meanwhile, he has distanced himself from Arjuna’s latest comments, saying they were not the views of the party. But, as yet, he has not gone beyond words.
The VCK is not a party with a big vote share. Yet, its presence in the combine is significant, given that the DMK never faces elections without an alliance.
DMK’s current alliance partners include the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), MDMK and VCK. DMK believes that VCK quitting the alliance could trigger a domino effect. More importantly, it can damage the perception of the DMK alliance being seen as the winning horse in the Assembly elections in 2026.
Meanwhile, the DMK leaders and its active social media wing have shown scorn for Arjuna, without sparing Vijay. Udhayanidhi derided Arjuna as “brainless”. When asked to comment on the speeches at the function, he replied that he did not watch cinema news.
However, there is little doubt that the questions Arjuna raised find resonance among sizable sections of the electorate and indeed even within the DMK since many point to the pitchforking of Udhayanidhi as the number two in the government within five years of his entry into politics as dynastic succession.
In contrast, Stalin had to wait almost 40 years before he could become a deputy chief minister. Former chief minister and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, Stalin’s father, never gave him the reins of the party during his lifetime. Stalin was made the working president of the party only when ill health started taking its toll on Karunanidhi.
There are no clear answers to whether Thirumavalavan would sack Adhav Arjuna to save the alliance or he has a master plan up his sleeve.
Conspiracy theorists also raise the question of why Martin, one of the largest electoral bond donors of the DMK should have his son-in-law take on the party so openly and align himself with Vijay who has clearly identified the DMK as his political enemy.
For the DMK, which seems rattled, the concerns are understandable. For winning in 2026, a large alliance is a must for the party since anti-incumbency will have to be countered.
With the Opposition AIADMK showing little signs of breaking up, the DMK will have its hands full. If the VCK exits, a section of Dalit votes would hurt the DMK in the northern districts where the VCK has influence.
Even though Thirumavalavan has repeatedly said that they would continue in the DMK alliance in 2026, his actions do not seem to match his words.
With their self-respect at stake, the DMK is likely to lose its patience with him soon.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
