Mukkulathur vote war: How Thevar community became Tamil Nadu’s biggest political prize
Once the pillar of AIADMK’s southern dominance, the Mukkulathur (Thevar) community has become every party’s target. Can anyone reclaim its loyalty in 2026?
Caste loyalties continue to shape Tamil Nadu’s politics, and none are as influential as the Mukkulathur or Thevar community, a powerful bloc across the southern districts. Every major party from DMK, AIADMK, and BJP to newcomers like Vijay’s TVK is in a race to secure its support.
On October 30, a symbolic scene in Madurai set off fresh political ripples. Expelled AIADMK leaders TTV Dhinakaran, O Panneerselvam, and KA Sengottaiyan arrived together at the Thevar Jayanthi celebrations and held a joint press meet. The reunion, seen as a challenge to Edappadi K Palaniswami’s (EPS) leadership, signalled that the battle for Mukkulathur votes had reignited.
A community with a legacy
The term Thevar or Mukkulathur encompasses three sub-castes: Maravar, Kallar, and Agamudaiyar. During British rule, the Maravars and Kallars were infamously branded as “criminal tribes” under the 1871 Act, a punishment for resisting colonial authority.
The stigma was erased only after independence, largely due to the efforts of Muthuramalinga Thevar, a close associate of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. He led the Forward Bloc in the Madras Presidency and inspired many to join the Indian National Army (INA).
Since then, the community’s political allegiance has evolved from Forward Bloc to the AIADMK rooted in loyalty to leaders who respected their pride and identity.
From MGR to Jayalalithaa
Thevars' support for MG Ramachandran (MGR) and later Jayalalithaa was deep and emotional. Both leaders nurtured ties by regularly attending the annual Guru Puja of Muthuramalinga Thevar.
Jayalalithaa, in 2014, donated 13 kg of gold armour worth ₹4 crore for Thevar’s statue, a powerful symbol of respect and political loyalty. The bond strengthened further under VK Sasikala, herself a Thevar, whose presence cemented AIADMK’s southern base.
But after Jayalalithaa’s death and Sasikala’s ouster, that connection fractured, and with O Panneerselvam (OPS) being sidelined, the community began to drift away.
AIADMK’s southern disconnect
Under EPS’s leadership, AIADMK struggled to retain its Thevar base. The Mukkulathur community, long the backbone of the party in the southern belt, felt alienated for two key reasons:
1. Expulsion of O Panneerselvam, a Thevar leader.
2. The 10.5% internal reservation for the Vanniyar community within the MBC quota, introduced by EPS in 2021, a move seen as undermining Thevar representation.
Though the Supreme Court later struck down the quota, the political damage was done. The Thevars began viewing AIADMK as a “Gounder party,” aligned more with the western Tamil Nadu leadership.
DMK and BJP eye the void
The Thevar drift created an opportunity for rivals. The BJP, hoping to fill the vacuum, appointed Nainar Nagendran, a Thevar leader from Tirunelveli, as its Tamil Nadu unit chief.
The DMK, meanwhile, gained unexpected traction in Thevar-dominated constituencies during the 2021 Assembly polls. With Sasikala out, OPS expelled, and EPS unable to consolidate the south, traditional AIADMK bastions like Madurai North, Andipatti, and Sholavandan swung towards the DMK. In Andipatti, once a fortress of the AIADMK since 2001, the DMK has won after 25 years, marking a historic shift in southern Tamil Nadu politics.
The decisive vote bloc
The Mukkulathur community holds sway in over 40 Assembly constituencies across Madurai, Theni, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Dindigul, and Virudhunagar. Even a 5–10% vote swing in these areas can tilt the election outcome.
Behind the scenes, every party is now courting the community with temple visits, symbolic gestures, and strategic leadership roles. Their goal is clear: regain the trust of a group that once dictated southern Tamil Nadu’s political direction.
As the 2026 Assembly elections approach, the question looms large: Who will win the Thevar heartland -- the old guard, the rebels, or the newcomers? Their united presence sent a loud message across Tamil Nadu’s political landscape: The battle for the Mukkulathur community’s loyalty has just begun again.
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