VCK MP bats for cabinet berth, says Vijay shouldn't induct AIADMK rebels

The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) wants to be part of the new TVK-led government in Tamil Nadu — not a reluctant supporter watching from the sidelines.

D Ravikumar, VCK's Viluppuram MP, writer and lawyer, in an exclusive interview with The Federal, made clear where his position on the issue. "I personally do not support the idea of outside support," he said. "A party giving outside support tries to play both ruling party and opposition simultaneously. That is not healthy. If you support a government, you should participate in it," he said.

Ravikumar said he has already conveyed this position within the party and urged VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan to join the government. Most office-bearers, he added, backed the idea.

The context gives his words added weight: VCK had long sought a berth in the DMK government during its last stint in power, but that never materialised. The party cannot afford to miss the opportunity again.

Parallel allegiance

That said, Ravikumar is clear that the VCK cannot straddle both sides of the aisle. Being part of the new TVK alliance while retaining ties with the DMK is not an option. "Supporting TVK would automatically mean changing alliances completely," he said.

The party was elected under a mandate tied to one alliance; a pivot to another requires honest reckoning, not political convenience, he feels. After all, there are local body elections and the 2029 Lok Sabha election to consider.

People have given TVK the mandate. Even though Vijay has no legislative experience, there is every possibility that he can perform well."

On the question of who else Chief Minister Joseph Vijay should — or should not — bring into his cabinet, Ravikumar was unambiguous. AIADMK breakaway leaders have no place in a TVK government, he argued. "TVK has already won the confidence vote. It has the numbers. If Vijay inducts such leaders into the cabinet, it could damage his image and bring a bad name to the government. I would advise against it," he said.

He drew a distinction when it came to individuals from smaller outfits like AMMK. A single leader crossing over on his own terms is a different matter from absorbing a faction, and should not be treated the same way.

It's a mandate for Vijay

Despite the uncertainties of a hung assembly and a first-time legislator as Chief Minister, Ravikumar expressed confidence that the Vijay government would hold. "People have given TVK the mandate to govern Tamil Nadu. Even though Chief Minister Vijay has no legislative experience, there is every possibility that he can perform well. I hope he governs effectively," he said.

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The mandate, in his reading, is real — and that gives the government a foundation to stand on.

The swirl of speculation in those crucial days between May 4 and 10 — including reported back-channel talks between DMK and AIADMK — threw up several names as CM probables, including Thirumavalavan. None of it happened.

Though TN speaks proudly about social justice, it remains a deeply caste-ridden society. Caste feelings are increasing day by day."

Ravikumar dismissed the narrative. "In Tamil society historically, Dalits were often sacrificed during crises," he observed. He suggested that certain political forces, caught in the AIADMK crisis, saw VCK's leader as a convenient instrument — not a genuine candidate. "Our leader understood this and firmly rejected the proposal."

Was it a historic missed opportunity — VCK's version of former Bengal CM Jyoti Basu declining the Prime Ministership? Ravikumar rejected the comparison. "People gave the mandate to Vijay and TVK to form the government. Trying to create another arrangement was not a good idea. That was also one reason our leader rejected the proposal," he said.

The mandate was never ambiguous, he emphasised. It was Vijay's, through and through.

A Dalit CM for Tamil Nadu?

He was also candid about the structural reality beneath the political theatre. "Though Tamil Nadu speaks proudly about social justice, it remains a deeply caste-ridden society. Caste feelings are increasing day by day. More than 20 per cent of the population belongs to Dalit communities, but society is still not ready to accept a Dalit Chief Minister," he noted.

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He had proposed coalition politics as far back as 2015. It took a decade for that idea to even become a reality in Tamil Nadu — a Dalit Chief Minister, he suggested, may take another two or three.

Why did the party take nearly 10 days to announce its position? "We had contested elections against TVK as part of another alliance. We openly criticised Vijay during the campaign. So taking a sudden decision was not easy," Ravikumar said.

The party's MLAs had been elected under a different mandate. The Left parties held their own meetings first. VCK then conducted discussions over Zoom, with members spread across the state. "There was no deliberate delay. It was a process," explained Ravikumar.

Media narratives

What made the delay harder to bear was the way it was covered. The VCK MP was pointed in his criticism of the media.

"Visual media today only wants breaking news. They do not care about ethics sometimes. Even senior journalists accused VCK of horse-trading without evidence. That was painful," he said.

We have to see whether Vijay will oppose Hindi imposition, resist Centre's pressures, sign PM SHRI agreements and implement NEP."

A party with a long history in the DMK alliance — through Lok Sabha, assembly and local body elections — does not walk away from that lightly. The suggestion that it was auctioning itself to the highest bidder, he said, was both unfair and irresponsible.

Beyond the immediate politics, Ravikumar offered a broader assessment of what Vijay's rise means for Tamil Nadu. He located it within a long tradition of cinema-hero worship, going back to MGR and Jayalalithaa, and noted that Vijay is, in many ways, another Dravidian politician — invoking Periyar, Ambedkar and Anna, and consciously staying outside the BJP orbit. "BJP was completely defeated in the election. Any party aligned with BJP cannot win sufficient seats in Tamil Nadu."

Dravidian politics

But he reserved judgment on whether Vijay's Dravidian references are conviction or performance. "We have to see whether Vijay will oppose Hindi imposition, whether he will resist the Centre's pressures, whether he will sign PM SHRI agreements and implement NEP. Only then can we judge whether this is symbolism or actual commitment," he said.

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He also cautioned against assuming bipolar politics was returning to Tamil Nadu. "Only in triangular contests do smaller parties like VCK have political space and influence. I do not think AIADMK will disappear easily."

The EPS-led party may be weakened, but it governed for nearly three decades and retains a rural structure. Triangular politics, he believes, is here to stay — which suits VCK just fine.