Vanni Arasu
Vanni Arasu
VCKMLA · Tindivanam- Born
- 1971 (55 yrs as of 2026), Thiruperunthur, Viluppuram district
- Constituency
- Tindivanam · AC 72
- District
- Viluppuram
- Party
- Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi
- Profession
- Advocate (B.A., B.L.); politician (VCK)
- 2026 result
- won by 734 votes
- Education
- Class XII - Government Higher Secondary School, Mallanginar-1989.
At a glance
Education
- 1989Class 12, Government High School, Malangkinnaru
- BachelorsB.A., B.L. (Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws)
ECI affidavit (2026)
3 pending criminal cases declared in the 2026 ECI affidavit. Total declared assets: ₹93.78 L.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Total declared assets | ₹93.78 L |
Career timeline
- Pre-politicsPractising advocate; long-time VCK organiser in Viluppuram district under the party founder M. Krishnasamy and chair Thol. Thirumavalavan.
- 23 Apr 2026Wins Tindivanam (AC 72) on VCK ticket — his first Assembly term.
- May 2026Designated VCK Legislature Party Leader — head of VCK's two-MLA bloc in the 16th Assembly.
- 9 May 2026Delivers VCK's formal letter of support to Governor Arlekar at Lok Bhavan — taking the TVK bloc from 116 to 118 in writing for the first time, the procedural pivot that made government formation possible. Tells Thanthi TV the party hopes Thirumavalavan will be Deputy Chief Minister.
The 2026 win — Tindivanam
Vanni Arasu polled 63,833 votes, defeating Arjunan . P (AIADMK) by a margin of 734.
| # | Candidate | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanni Arasu | VCK | 63,833 |
| 2 | Arjunan . P | AIADMK | 63,099 |
| 3 | Sakthivel . S | TVK | 61,159 |
| 4 | Pachimuthu . P | NTK | 5,242 |
| 5 | Nota | NOTA | 714 |
→ Full Tindivanam (AC 72) seat page · district: Viluppuram
Family
Son of Rathinasamy. Married to Aathirai. Family rooted in Tiruperunthur, Viluppuram district — the VCK's Dalit-rights core-belt.
Party & ideology
Vanni Arasu's politics is in the VCK mainstream — anti-caste, Ambedkarite, Dalit-rights-first. Inside the 16th Assembly his role is twofold: VCK's procedural representative on the TVK floor (conveying the party's outside support) and the senior of two VCK MLAs in the House. The 2026 letter to Arlekar — drafted on VCK chair Thirumavalavan's instruction and physically handed to Lok Bhavan by Arasu — is the procedural document that broke TN's 5-day government-formation impasse.
FAQ
Who is Vanni Arasu?
55-year-old advocate from Tindivanam, Viluppuram district. First-time MLA from Tindivanam (AC 72), elected on VCK ticket in 2026 with 63,833 votes. Designated VCK Legislature Party Leader and the figure who delivered VCK's formal support letter to Governor Arlekar on 9 May 2026.
What was Vanni Arasu's role in the TVK government formation?
On 9 May 2026 evening, he hand-delivered VCK chair Thol. Thirumavalavan's signed support letter to Lok Bhavan — the document that took the TVK bloc from 116 to 118 in the Governor's count for the first time. Without that letter, Vijay's path to oath was blocked.
Was Vanni Arasu an MLA before?
No — Tindivanam 2026 is his first Assembly term. Previously he practised as an advocate and organised at the district level for VCK in Viluppuram.
Is VCK part of the TVK government?
Outside-support, not a coalition partner inside the cabinet. Per Thirumavalavan's 9 May press conference, VCK extends 'unconditional support' specifically to prevent President's Rule or an AIADMK government — but maintains it remains in DMK's alliance for future polls.
Sources
- Wikipedia · Vanni Arasu — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanni_Arasu
- Vanni Arasu myneta affidavit (2026) — https://myneta.info/TamilNadu2026/candidate.php?candidate_id=1126
- TN-Elections.org · Vanni Arasu profile — https://tn-elections.org/candidate/vanni-arasu-vck/
- Oneindia · Tindivanam 2026 result — https://www.oneindia.com/tindivanam-assembly-elections-tn-72/
- The News Minute · VCK turns decisive player — https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/vck-turns-decisive-player-backs-vijays-claim-to-form-government
- The Tribune · How 2 VCK MLAs flexed political muscle — https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/assembly-elections-2026/we-are-the-centre-vijays-tvk-govt-talks-heat-up-as-vck-flexes-political-muscle/
- Election Commission of India · TN 2026 — https://results.eci.gov.in/ResultAcGenMay2026/