VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan has said his party chose not to contest from V.Kuppam during seat-sharing talks within the DMK-led alliance, urging people to understand whether it was “deception” or “political clarity”.
Speaking at an election campaign meeting, he recalled that V.Kuppam in Vellore district was initially proposed for the VCK. He said he told DMK functionaries that while the constituency was winnable, he did not want it.
According to him, the AIADMK-led alliance was expected to field another Dalit leader in the same seat. He argued that two Dalit organisations confronting each other directly would not be “civilised”, and therefore requested an alternative constituency.
The remarks have reportedly added to discontent among DMK cadre, coming after Thirumavalavan earlier welcomed AIADMK’s decision to field Porkodi, the wife of Armstrong, from Chennai’s Thiru. Vi. Ka Nagar constituency.
In V.Kuppam, DMK has fielded Rajeshwari, while the AIADMK alliance has nominated Puvai Jagan Moorthy, leader of the Puratchi Bharatham party, to contest on the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol.
