T. Velmurugan of Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi addressing media persons at Chennai on March 22, 2026
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi founder and Panruti MLA, T. Velmurugan, on Sunday (March 22, 2026), announced his party’s exit from the ruling DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu accusing the alliance leader of displaying “big brotherly attitude.” Mr. Velmurugan was seen as the Vanniyar face of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance. The party was unhappy with the offer of a single seat as given to it in 2016.
Adressing journalists in Chennai, Mr. Velmurugan said he will take a decision on the future course after consulting with Periyarist organisations, smaller Tamil nationalist outfits and other outfits that work for ordinary people.
No to NDA
“We have taken this decision trusting the judgement of Tamil people. I am officially stating we will not feature in the NDA,” he said.
Mr. Velmurugan added, “We placed our 10-point demands to the DMK but they have shown a big brotherly attitude towards us. They are unable to accept that we are placing demands before them… when other bigger parties in the alliance haven’t done anything in that regard.”
Mr. Velmurugan specifically focussed on DMK’s reluctance to commit to providing 10.5% internal reservations for Vanniyars within the Most Backward Classes (MBC) quota and refusal to collate relevant caste data regarding the representation of Vanniyars.
Mr. Velmurugan charged the DMK has succumbed to the pressures of bureaucrats “influenced and guided by RSS ideology” in not conducting caste-wise census.
Published – March 22, 2026 04:40 pm IST
