The Ambedkarite party aims to expand its influence beyond the southern state and establish Thol Thirumavalavan as a national leader representing not only Dalits but all backward classes.
Chennai: The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Tamil Nadu’s prominent Ambedkarite party, is setting its sights on contesting the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections scheduled for November 20. The party is negotiating with its INDIA bloc ally, the Congress, for a few seats as it seeks to expand its influence beyond the southern state and position party leader Thol Thirumavalavan as a national figure for Dalits and other backward classes.
S.S. Balaji, a VCK MLA from Thiruporur, stated that the party is prepared to contest independently if it does not secure seats from Congress. He mentioned that Thirumavalavan plans to meet with Congress leaders during his visit to Mumbai next week to engage with party cadres. “We will be having discussions with the INDIA alliance. We will try to contest and definitely field candidates in Maharashtra,” Balaji confirmed.
Party leaders in Chennai report that the VCK already has a basic cadre base in Maharashtra, having established a unit in Mumbai over a decade ago. Solomon Raja, in charge of the Mumbai unit, noted that VCK’s presence has grown in cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Aurangabad, particularly with many followers of Chandrashekhar Azad’s Bhim Army joining its ranks.
As the VCK looks to expand its footprint, it is also targeting other southern states such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala, where it already has a strong presence. H.V. Chandrashekar, the party’s Karnataka unit chief, revealed that the VCK had selected a few seats in Karnataka for the 2023 Assembly elections but decided against contesting upon the request of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Thirumavalavan actively campaigned for the Congress in the recent Karnataka elections and is expected to do the same for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
In Kerala, the VCK’s unit recently organized a two-day South Indian conclave of Dalit-Adivasi organizations in Kottayam on October 13 and 14. This event saw participation from various groups, including the Kerala Dalit Federation (KDF) and the Kerala Sambhava Sabha, as well as Congress MPs and other notable figures. The conclave focused on the Supreme Court’s recent call for the sub-categorization of SC and ST communities, which attendees deemed unconstitutional. Plans were also made for a similar national conclave in Delhi on January 24 and 25.
“Dalits are heterogeneous. The language, culture, attire, and even skin tone differ from state to state. But the way the community is treated remains the same everywhere throughout history,” Thol Thirumavalavan remarked at the conclave, highlighting the persistent challenges faced by marginalized communities.
Through these initiatives and strategic expansions, the VCK aims to solidify Thirumavalavan’s status as a national leader not just for Dalits, but for all backward classes across India.