Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s (VCK) suspended Deputy General Secretary and “Lottery King” Santiago Martin’s son-in-law Aadhav Arjuna resigned from the party on Sunday citing irreconcilable differences with its leadership. Arjuna’s resignation came hours after VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan alleged a “hidden agenda” behind his statements targeting ally DMK even after his suspension.
Sources close to Arjuna told The Indian Express that he was involved in high-level discussions with the AIADMK, suggesting he was looking to join the main Opposition party in Tamil Nadu and make a double impact as he does so by bringing over poll strategist Prashant Kishore to advise the party for the 2026 Assembly polls and roping in actor-turned-politician Vijay’s party into the AIADMK alliance.
Thirumavalavan’s remarks on Sunday, reaffirming the VCK’s strong ties with the DMK and committing to the coalition for the 2026 elections, seem to have left Arjuna with no space to continue within the party. “The suspension was already seen as a de facto expulsion,” said a close aide of Arjuna. “With Thirumavalavan’s public statements, it became clear that there was no room for reconciliation. He had to quit.”
Thirumavalavan’s statements revealed his dissatisfaction with Arjuna’s public statements, especially an extensive interview he gave to Thanti TV repeating his “controversial statements” and justifying the actions that led to his suspension.
Aadhav Arjuna with Tamil actor-politician Vijay at a book release event last week. (Photo: Aadhav Arjuna/ Facebook)
In his resignation letter, addressed to Thirumavalavan, Arjuna called his work with the VCK an “honour and a responsibility” to fight for the marginalised. “I stood firm as a soldier of social justice, doing what I could to eradicate societal inequalities,” he wrote. For two decades, he claimed, he dedicated himself to advancing the party’s vision of caste annihilation and justice.
The letter, while respectful, hinted at unspoken tensions. “I realise that the ideals I uphold may differ from the party’s current goals, and it is causing great introspection and discomfort,” he wrote. Arjuna avoided direct conflict, saying, “I do not intend to create discord” but admitted to months of deliberation before stepping down. “Politics has been my life’s mission… My journey will continue alongside those who seek equality, justice, and harmony,” read the letter.
Sources said Arjuna had already initiated talks with AIADMK leaders. A senior AIADMK leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that he heard of Arjuna talking to join the party leadership. “His plan is ambitious. He wants to bring actor-turned-politician Vijay into the AIADMK alliance and even roped in strategist Prashant Kishore for the 2026 Assembly elections. Talks are at a very early stage but at the highest level,” the leader said.
A source close to Arjuna said he would not rush his next move. “I believe that he is directly holding talks with Edappadi K Palaniswami, no other leader in between. Arjuna may wait till January second week. If the AIADMK welcomes him and he succeeds in bringing Vijay to the AIADMK camp, it will be a game-changer. But internal discussions within the AIADMK are ongoing, and there are concerns about how this will be perceived,” the source said.
Why there is scepticism
The idea of Arjuna facilitating an AIADMK-Vijay alliance has raised eyebrows within the opposition. A former AIADMK minister said, “It is a fantastic idea but naïve. If the AIADMK joins hands with Vijay, it will challenge the DMK’s dominance. The ruling party will struggle in spite of a big alliance. If Arjuna delivers on his promises, it will change Tamil Nadu politics. But that’s a big ‘if’. The BJP will not let us execute such a move as it will push them to the fourth position in Tamil Nadu politics, with Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) taking the third spot. Even the PMK will come to us, leaving the NDA alliance, in such a scenario,” he said, adding that such an alliance would cancel everything that the BJP gained in the last decade, and weaken the NDA’s presence in the state.
Arjuna’s move to the AIADMK, should it materialise, would be significant. Once a close aide of Chief Minister M K Stalin’s son-in-law Sabareesan and a DMK insider, Arjuna was part of the ruling party’s strategy teams in the 2016, 2019 and 2021 elections. However, after failing to secure a Rajya Sabha berth from the party, he joined the VCK earlier this year.
His fallout with the VCK began after his sharp criticism of the DMK in recent months. At a book release event last week, which was organised by his brand strategy firm Voice of Common, Vijay criticised Thirumavalavan’s absence at the event, suggesting it was due to pressure from the DMK. Arjuna’s own remarks accused the DMK of running a “monarch’s rule” and dominating the Tamil film industry through political influence. Thirumavalavan responded by suspending Arjuna, but the decision exposed deeper divides within the VCK.
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