Political activity in Tamil Nadu has gathered fresh momentum after a district unit of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) passed a resolution urging party president Thol. Thirumavalavan to contest the upcoming Trichy East Assembly bypoll and join Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s government as Deputy Chief Minister.
The resolution, adopted by the VCK’s Salem district unit, has once again fuelled speculation over a possible expansion of the TVK-led government and Thirumavalavan’s future role in it. Although the VCK chief has not responded to the latest development, the proposal has revived a debate that first surfaced during the government formation process earlier this year.
Salem VCK Resolution Rekindles Deputy CM Speculation
The latest political buzz comes just days after Chief Minister Vijay convened a meeting of parties considered friendly to the ruling alliance. The July 1 meeting was attended by the Congress, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the VCK and the MDMK, which had exited the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance just a day earlier.
Political observers viewed the meeting as an effort to strengthen the TVK-led coalition amid shifting political equations in the state.
Against this backdrop, the Salem district VCK unit urged Thirumavalavan to contest the Trichy East by-election and assume the office of Deputy Chief Minister, if the opportunity arises.
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Similar Speculation Emerged After Government Formation
This is not the first time Thirumavalavan’s name has been linked with the Deputy Chief Minister’s post.
Following the fractured Assembly verdict and the formation of the TVK-led government, he was widely seen as a possible choice for the position. However, the VCK ultimately extended outside support instead of formally joining the government, and the discussion gradually faded.
Soon after Vijay was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 10, Thirumavalavan revealed that “well-wishers and mediators” had informally discussed the possibility of him becoming Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister.
He also disclosed that some party leaders and supporters had questioned why a Dalit leader could not become Chief Minister.
Thirumavalavan added that he first became aware of the speculation on the night of May 8 but did not initially attach importance to it.
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Questions Raised Over VCK’s Political Course
Although Thirumavalavan has reportedly indicated earlier that he had no plans to contest the Trichy East bypoll, the Salem district resolution has renewed political debate over whether the party’s stand could change.
Political commentators have pointed to earlier instances where the VCK’s final political decisions differed from its initial public position. They cite the party’s eventual participation in the TVK-led government despite earlier statements that appeared aligned with the Left parties’ position.
The latest resolution has also drawn comparisons with the political developments during the previous DMK government, when discussions around appointing Udhayanidhi Stalin as Deputy Chief Minister initially faced resistance from several parties before resolutions supporting his elevation were eventually passed and he assumed the post.
While there is no official indication that the TVK government is considering such a move, the Salem resolution has once again placed Thirumavalavan at the centre of Tamil Nadu’s evolving political landscape.
With the Trichy East bypoll expected to become politically significant, attention will now be on whether the VCK leadership endorses the district unit’s proposal or maintains its current position of offering support without formally joining the government.
