Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol Thirumavalavan has announced that he will not contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, stepping back from his earlier decision to contest from the Kattumannarkoil constituency. He clarified that the decision was taken on his own and was not due to any pressure or denial of opportunity. VCK has now named E. Jothimani as its candidate for the Kattumannarkoil constituency.
Explaining his decision, Thirumavalavan said, “I have decided not to contest in the Assembly elections,” and made it clear that this was a voluntary move as part of the party’s broader political approach. He reiterated that the decision should not be misinterpreted as a setback or compulsion, but rather as a strategic choice aligned with party interests.
His withdrawal comes after he had earlier expressed interest in entering the Assembly to play a more direct role in state politics. At that time, he had said, “My wish is to become an MLA and lend voice to the marginalised,” indicating his intention to focus on issues affecting underrepresented communities at the state level.
Amid speculation linking his electoral decision to alleged aspirations for a Deputy Chief Minister post, Thirumavalavan strongly denied the claims and described them as misinformation. Responding to such reports, he said, “This is a planned disinformation campaign,” firmly rejecting any suggestion that he was seeking or negotiating for the Deputy Chief Minister position. He further clarified, “I have neither demanded nor discussed any such post,” dismissing the rumours as baseless.
He emphasised that his political decisions are guided by ideology and party strategy rather than personal ambition, underlining that his choice not to contest and the rumours about a Deputy Chief Minister role are unrelated.
