Chennai, Nov 23 (IANS) DMK ally, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), is preparing to negotiate a significantly higher number of seats for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, with a special focus on general (unreserved) constituencies.

The party, which contested six seats in the previous election, is targeting a double-digit share this time as it seeks to broaden its political footprint beyond its core support base.

According to party insiders, VCK plans to demand not less than 12 seats from the DMK during alliance discussions.

Leaders say the push for more general constituencies is part of a long-term strategy to expand the party’s influence across regions and accommodate various democratic groups that have joined hands with VCK in recent years.

In 2021, VCK contested two general seats—Thiruporur and Nagapattinam—and won both. These victories, leaders point out, underline the party’s growing acceptance among non-Dalit communities.

However, the party lost the Arakkonam and Vanur reserved seats to AIADMK.

The renewed interest among aspirants for general constituencies has strengthened the party’s internal assessment that it can perform well beyond reserved segments.

VCK leaders note that the party has previously fielded a mix of Dalit and non-Dalit candidates, particularly during the 2016 Assembly polls when it contested 25 seats under a different alliance arrangement.

Despite speculation within political circles that the DMK might prune the number of seats allotted to its allies, VCK remains confident that its share will rise rather than fall.

VCK general secretary and Member of Parliament, D. Ravikumar, remarked that the party considers the alliance with the DMK essential and will stand firmly by it, cautioning that any weakening of the coalition would only aid the BJP.

As part of its preparations, VCK is expected to seek general constituencies such as Bhuvanagiri, Shozhinganallur, Tiruvallur and Mailam, in addition to reserved seats like Kallakurichi, Sholavandan, Sirkazhi and Harur.

The party’s floor leader in the legislative Assembly, Sinthanai Selvan, highlighted that a significant number of non-Dalit youths have joined VCK in recent years, inspired by the leadership’s consistent call for caste eradication.

He said that the party must create political space for these young members and continue its effort to transform Dalit politics by moving beyond identity-centric issues and asserting a stronger voice in mainstream political debates.

Another senior leader pointed out that VCK’s sustained advocacy for OBC welfare has helped widen its support base, contributing to the high strike rate the party achieved in the last Assembly election.

–IANS

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