VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan on Friday announced that he will not contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election from the Kattumannarkovil constituency. He said the party has named Jyothimani as its candidate for the seat.
Explaining his decision, Thirumavalavan recalled earlier instances when he stepped away from electoral opportunities, including in 2006 when he chose not to contest and gave the seat he had secured to a party colleague. He also referred to his electoral journey across Assembly and Parliament elections, including victories and a narrow defeat in 2016.
He said the 2026 election is not a routine contest and claimed there have been sustained attempts over the past year to weaken the secular progressive alliance of which the VCK is a part, with the party and himself being specifically targeted. Despite this, he asserted that the DMK-led alliance is entering the fray in a disciplined manner and said he played a key role in keeping it intact.
Thirumavalavan also rejected speculation that his earlier indication of contesting was driven by personal ambition or plans for a coalition government, and said he avoided raising demands that could create friction within the alliance. He alleged that false narratives were being circulated about the party’s decisions and its stance within the alliance.
The announcement comes amid heightened political chatter around seat-sharing and alliance cohesion ahead of the Assembly polls.
