VCK turns its focus to Tamil nationalism post-election

After accurately predicting “significant changes in politics” in Tamil Nadu after the 2026 assembly elections, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder and Chidambaram MP Thol. Thirumavalavan has urged the party to gear up for a ‘Tamil nationalist’ public rally on August 17 (his birthday) in Ulundurpet near Villupuram.

Contrary to popular opinion that the VCK-support base have moved to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in huge numbers, many in the party said it would use the opportunity to show that it continued to enlist the support of Scheduled Caste (SC) youngsters in huge numbers.

Speaking at a recent meeting, Mr. Thirumavalavan asked his party cadre to ensure that the upcoming public meeting was described as, to use a colloquial expression, ‘vera level’, just as other public rallies in the past became the ‘talk of the town’.

“I announced that the public conference would be held on May 17 in the month of March before the election, but we couldn’t organise it. The seat-sharing exercise had started. We couldn’t organise it. Every year, we celebrate August 17 as Tamilar Ezhuchi Naal, but this year we will celebrate it as Tamil Desiya Ezhuchi public conference. This should be much bigger than other public conference we have organised. We have to get the attention of the Union government,” he said.

While the VCK has always embraced Tamil nationalism to reiterate that the SC community is an intrinsic part of Tamil society, the party had focused more on “anti-Sanathana” propaganda, in a bid to counter the BJP, in the recent years. However, a senior VCK leader said it was not true that the VCK had “given up” on Tamil nationalism in the recent past, as it has observed Maaverar Naal (Great Heroes’ Day) every year and had always fought for the rights of Eelam Tamils.

“Tamil nationalism need not always be about Eelam Tamils either. Tamil nationalism is also about the fight for State’s rights, federalism, and so on. This will be a good opportunity to once again reinvigorate the Opposition to various causes such as “anti-Hindi imposition”, taking away State’s rights, and so on,” said a senior leader.

Another senior leader said such a public rally would help keep the party cadre together and active as it swam into an uncertain and turbulent political scenario in Tamil Nadu.