The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), despite having only two MLAs in Tamil Nadu, has emerged as a significant player in the state's political arena. The party, founded on the principles of the Dalit Panthers movement, combines the ideologies of B R Ambedkar, Periyar E V Ramasamy, and Marxist thought to advocate for social justice and anti-caste politics. Led by Thol Thirumavalavan, the VCK is the largest Dalit party in the state, leveraging its grassroots appeal to influence political dynamics. In the recent elections, the party requested four seats from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) but was allotted only two reserved seats, both of which it won. The fractured mandate in Tamil Nadu has presented the VCK with a rare opportunity to exert influence beyond its numerical strength, a chance that Thirumavalavan is determined to capitalize on as discussions about government formation unfold.