Meeting Aadhav Arjuna, VCK's New Deputy General Secretary: Politics, Ambitions, and the Future
I recently sat down with Aadhav Arjun, the newly appointed Deputy General Secretary of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), at his Poes Garden office. We dived into contemporary politics, his role in the VCK, and the party's future aspirations.
Q: Joining the VCK as Deputy General Secretary after just 20 days – won't that cause internal uproar?
A: Not necessarily. I've been their election strategist since early 2021, working directly with them. Party officials are happy with my appointment, even if there's some external criticism. My task is to restructure the party across 234 constituencies, and I'll collaborate closely with VCK leadership.
Q: You were DMK's strategist until 2021. What prompted the switch to VCK?
A: I expressed my interest in joining VCK back in 2020. I've attended their meetings since my college days and have a long-standing friendship with their leaders. Their approach resonated with me, so I offered to work with them in 2020. As "Voice of Commons," we contributed to VCK's development in 2021.
Q: As an election strategist, should DMK contest more seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections?
A: It's debatable whether their 188 seats in the 2021 assembly elections secured them a majority. From VCK's perspective, being the third largest party in Parliament grants them stronger bargaining power and potential inclusion in a coalition government. That's the strategy behind their alliances in 2019 and 2021.
Q: What are your plans for VCK as Deputy General Secretary?
A: There's a perception that Dalit leaders lack political power. With just 4 MLAs and 2 MPs, we want to see this number increase significantly. We also aim to expand our vote share. If the party grows, why can't Thirumavalavan become Deputy Chief Minister in the future? Why can't VCK be part of the Union and State cabinets? Having VCK representatives in power benefits marginalized communities. We've started working towards this power expansion, and while it's challenging, we're committed to achieving it.
This piece is a translated and edited version of the original article published in the Vikatan.com, interviewed by Ram Shankar. Click here to read the complete version.