Amid the multiple episodes of talks and protests over seat-sharing, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has on Thursday sealed a deal with DMK for the upcoming assembly polls. The development has poured relief to the DMK from the ongoing trouble with the allied parties on seat-sharing. By attaining a deal with VCK, the DMK has inked seat-sharing agreements with three parties including VCK and the other two parties are Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK). 

According to reports, DMK has offered six assembly seats to VCK, nearly eight seats short of what the latter had demanded. The DMK and VCK leadership had signed a memorandum with six seats for VCK and following the deal, VCK Chief Thol. Thirumavalavan had asserted that the party will contest in an independent symbol than from contesting in DMK's 'Rising Sun' symbol. It has been reported that as both parties had inked a deal, they will begin the next level of talks for allotting the constituencies soon. 

Addressing the reporters on Thursday after reaching a deal with DMK at Anna Arivazhagam, Chennai, Thol. Thirumavalavan said, "We have decided to contest in six constituencies. VCK members initially protested against the limited seats but considering the political situation and the future of Tamil Nadu, we understood that continuing with DMK is important. We also want to completely curb the victory of Sanathana forces (BJP)."

Thirumavalavan further stated that the party has accepted the offer to defeat BJP. "We want to establish an anti-caste and anti-Santana government", the VCK Chief added. He alleged that BJP is allying with ADMK but the Central ruling party has also been working to bring an end to the Dravidian party. The development has come when the VCK has been demanding the DMK to allot seats in double-digits. 

The party had held negotiations with the DMK leaders with its demands. However, DMK had denied offering VCK what it has demanded. While VCK had begun the talks by bargaining 10 seats, the DMK had opened the talks with the offer of four to five seats. The members of VCK had started protesting against the DMK leaders for offering limited seats. Thirumalavan has come in and spoke with the protesters and said that the primary goal of the party is to defeat the Sanadhana groups. 

On Thursday, VCK had reached the deal with DMK. As we had reported earlier that VCK can get 5 to 6 seats, the party has ended the talks by getting six seats and the party will be finalizing the names of constituencies within this week. In the 2016 assembly polls, VCK had contested as part of the Makkal Nala Kootani (People's Welfare Front). This alliance was headed by Vijayakanth's DMDK and consisted of VCK, MDMK, CPI, and CPI(M). However, the alliance had lost the election and it had failed to win a single seat. The alliance came to an end following the defeat. 

In the 2019 Lok Sabha Polls, VCK had joined the DMK alliance and contested the two Parliamentary seats. While party's chief Thol. Thirumavalavan had contested and won from the Chidambaram constituency through the independent poll symbol, senior VCK leader Ravikumar had contested on the DMK's Rising Sun symbol and won from the Villupuram Parliamentary constituency. The DMK-led alliance has nine parties under its roof. The alliance includes the Congress party, CPI, CPI(M), VCK, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kongunandu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK), Vaiko's MDMK, Velmurugan's Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, and Jawahirullah's MMK.

While the DMK is planning to contest in 180-190 seats of 234 seats directly, it has been drawing strategies to accommodate the other allied parties in the rest of the 44 seats. So far, DMK has made agreements with VCK (six seats), IUML (three seats), and MMK (two seats), and the Tamil Nadu Opposition leader has called the Congress party for another round of talks and while Congress had asked for thirty seats, DMK is planning to allot 18-20 seats for the grand old party.