Chennai, Dec 9 : Tamil Nadu's Dalit political party, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), has announced the suspension of its Deputy General Secretary, Aadhav Arjuna, for six months.

The decision was taken by the party's founder and Member of Parliament Thol. Thirumavalavan who cited actions detrimental to the party's interests as the reason.

Thirumavalavan explained that the suspension followed discussions with the party's general secretaries and senior leaders on December 7. These discussions evaluated the impact of Arjuna's actions, which had drawn significant criticism.

'Despite repeated instructions from the party leadership, he has continued to act adversely. While these actions may superficially appear to serve the party's interests, they have led to severe public criticism, undermining the party's reputation and credibility,' said Thirumavalavan.

The VCK leader, who represents the Chidambaram (SC) constituency in the Lok Sabha, further noted that Arjuna's behaviour had disrupted discipline within the party and created a negative atmosphere.

He warned that it could set a bad precedent for other party members. 'Considering these circumstances and prioritising the party's welfare, the leadership committee ' comprising the party leader and general secretaries ' has decided to suspend Arjuna for a period of six months,' he added.

Sources said that the immediate provocation for the suspension was Arjuna's recent speech at a book launch, where he directed sharp criticism at the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leadership.

The VCK is currently in an alliance with the DMK in Tamil Nadu, which helped the party win two Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections.

In his speech, Arjuna openly advocated for a coalition government in the state and criticised the DMK for alleged governance failures, dynastic politics, and its over-reliance on coalition partners.

This is not the first time Arjuna's statements have caused controversy. His recent speeches have drawn criticism from within the VCK, with many members feeling that he was acting beyond his mandate.

/IANS