'Big relief', say VCK cadres as Thirumavalavan suspends Aadhav Arjuna

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder and Chidambaram MP Thol Thirumavalavan on Monday (December 9) announced the suspension of party deputy general secretary Aadhav Arjuna for six months. This follows Arjuna's severe criticism of the DMK and his characterisation of the current rule as a “monarchy”.

Aadhav Arjuna is well known for initiating the debate on power sharing in governance.

After announcing his suspension, Thirumavalavan immediately left for Fort St George to meet DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on a personal note.

Senior VCK leaders told The Federal that Aadhav Arjuna’s comments had crossed the line and hurt the VCK-DMK alliance. “He was suspended from the party after his recent speech at a book launch. Initially, his comments had encouraged many VCK cadres also to discuss power-sharing in governance. There were rumours inside the party that he was outspoken after receiving signals from the party leadership. But now, his suspension is a big relief to many of us,” a senior VCK leader who did not want to be named told The Federal.

Also watch: What Aadhav Arjuna’s bold power-sharing demands mean for TN ruling alliance

The leader also added that while power sharing in governance is one of the goals of the party, Arjuna's timing was not yet right for such a demand in Tamil Nadu. Additionally, the 2026 Assembly elections are not seen as an opportune time to push for this demand.

Slammed DMK for dynastic politics

Aadhav Arjuna, who joined the VCK in February 2024, had made several comments about power sharing in governance and criticised the DMK government for its policies and “dynastic politics”.

Initially, his public comments were seen as a reflection of the VCK top leadership's views, but in recent weeks, many senior party members believed his views would negatively impact the alliance with DMK.

The controversy escalated after a book launch event where actor and TVK leader Vijay and Aadhav Arjuna shared the stage. Arjuna accused the DMK of dynastic politics, saying it was implementing “monarchy” in Tamil Nadu.

“Tamil Nadu will no longer allow a monarchy to flourish. To dismantle monarchist families, we need Ambedkar’s ideology today," he was quoted as saying.

'CM by birth'

He also emphasised that preparations for the 2026 Assembly elections should focus on ending dynastic politics. “Ambedkar taught us that we are all born equal. A chief minister should not be appointed based on birth; only an idealistic leader should come to power,” he added.

In response to Aadhav Arjuna’s criticism, DMK youth wing leader and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin stated that no one could become chief minister by birth, and that leaders are elected in a democratic setup.

Aadhav Arjuna had previously worked as an election strategist for various electoral campaigns, including the DMK and the AIADMK. VCK provided him with a platform to enter direct politics, but his controversial speeches strained ties with the DMK.

Also read: To stem 'Vijay effect', rattled TN parties rush to woo young voters

Working against party’s interests

In his statement on Monday, Thirumavalavan explained that Arjuna had been acting in a manner detrimental to the party’s interests. As a result, he was suspended for six months. He said Arjuna’s activities had been discussed on December 7 with the party’s general secretaries and senior leaders to evaluate the impact of his actions.

“Despite repeated instructions from the party leadership, he continued to act adversely. While these actions may superficially appear to serve the party’s interests and authority, they have led to severe public criticism, undermining the party’s reputation and credibility. Arjuna’s behaviour has disturbed the existing discipline among party functionaries and created a negative impact within the party,” Thirumavalavan said in the statement.

He also said Arjuna’s actions set a bad precedent for party members. Thirumavalavan stated that, considering the circumstances and prioritising the party’s welfare, the leadership committee, comprising the party leader and general secretaries, decided to initiate disciplinary action against Arjuna and suspend him for six months.