DMK, TVK must unite in INDIA bloc to defeat BJP: VCK president Thirumavalavan

Published 9 July 2026 · politics

VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan on Wednesday said both the DMK and the TVK should be part of the INDIA bloc to effectively take on the

VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan on Wednesday said both the DMK and the TVK should be part of the INDIA bloc to effectively take on the BJP at the national level. He said a united front was necessary to counter the BJP's "communal politics", regardless of differences between parties in Tamil Nadu. He also said the VCK had not officially ended its alliance with the DMK, even as questions were raised over ties between the two parties after a former VCK legislator joined the ruling party. Read Full Story Thirumavalavan said his focus was on building a strong anti-BJP coalition and not on regional grievances, even as his earlier remarks on alliances triggered a political row in the state.

Speaking to reporters in Ariyalur, the Lok Sabha MP said, "Even if the TVK and DMK hold opposing stances locally, my national perspective is that both parties must be part of the INDIA bloc to defeat the BJP." He said political maturity was needed to maintain friendly relations between parties. Thirumavalavan's July 7 remark that "merely taking part in the Cabinet does not mean that the VCK had joined the alliance (led by TVK)" had caused a furore in Tamil Nadu politics. While Tamil Nadu Minister Raj Mohan said the ruling party did not put authoritarian pressure on its allies and viewed Thirumavalavan's speech as part of democracy, some leaders backing TVK criticised him.

MDMK chief Vaiko had told reporters that Thirumavalavan deserved a "Nobel Prize" for the comment. Responding to that, Thirumavalavan said, "I thank him (Vaiko) for his recommendation. If a Nobel Prize is awarded, I will certainly extend my gratitude to him." He also said VCK's relations with different parties should be seen through the lens of political maturity and healthy democratic ties, not rigid hostility. "Why should it always be interpreted that an alliance has broken. Can we not maintain friendships or relationships with others while being in a particular alliance. Why is there such an uncultured form of politics only in Tamil Nadu. In other states, parties allied with the BJP maintain friendly ties with the Congress, and vice versa.

Leaders who fight inside Parliament shake hands, sit together for coffee in the lobby, and even embrace in the Central Hall. Why shouldn't that political decency come to Tamil Nadu," he said. Pointing to recent friction within the national alliance, Thirumavalavan also urged the Congress to change its approach, saying its earlier strategies had created discord with regional allies such as the DMK in Tamil Nadu and the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, while ties with the Left in Kerala had also been strained. Overall, he maintained that broader opposition unity against the BJP should take priority over local political differences. Ends