Not the ‘Two Leaves’ Symbol: IJK to Contest on Its Own Emblem, Seeks Seven Seats in AIADMK Alliance

Chennai: In a development that adds a new layer to Tamil Nadu’s evolving alliance arithmetic ahead of the Assembly elections, the Indian Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) has made it clear that it will not be contesting on the AIADMK’s iconic “Two Leaves” symbol. Instead, the party will enter the fray on its own symbol, its founder-leader T.R. Paarivendhar (also known as Pachamuthu) announced on Friday.

Paarivendhar met Edappadi K. Palaniswami at his residence on Greenways Road in Chennai to discuss seat-sharing arrangements as part of the AIADMK-led front. The meeting comes at a time when political activity in the state is gathering momentum, with parties informally pushing for early polling in view of the summer heat, festival season, Tamil New Year and Chithirai celebrations.

After the discussion, Paarivendhar told reporters that the IJK would contest on a separate symbol within the AIADMK alliance. “We have submitted a list of seven constituencies where we have influence to Edappadi Palaniswami,” he said, adding that the AIADMK leader would hold consultations within the NDA and revert.

The IJK, formally known as the Indian Jananayaga Katchi, was founded in 2010 by Paarivendhar, who is also the founder of the SRM Group of educational institutions and a former Member of Parliament. Since its inception, the party has navigated multiple alliance configurations, reflecting Tamil Nadu’s fluid coalition politics.

From 2011 to 2019, the party was aligned with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. Between 2019 and 2021, it joined the DMK-led United Progressive Alliance. In the 2021 Assembly elections, it allied with actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s party.

Since 2024, the IJK has once again been part of the National Democratic Alliance and, from 2025, has been participating in the AIADMK-led coalition, positioning itself for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections under that banner.

Electorally, the party’s journey has been uneven. It contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as part of the NDA and the 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in the same formation but did not secure a victory. A significant breakthrough came in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls when, as part of the DMK alliance, Paarivendhar contested from Perambalur and won by a margin of 4,03,518 votes — a result that stood out even though the party fielded candidates in other constituencies as well.

In the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, contesting 38 seats in alliance with Kamal Haasan’s party, the IJK secured an average vote share of around 0.5 per cent but failed to win any seat, forfeiting deposits in several constituencies. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it contested under the NDA but did not register a win.

With its overall vote share generally remaining below one per cent, the IJK’s strength has largely been as a minor ally contributing incrementally within broader coalitions. In recent months, some of its members have joined the AIADMK, a development that underscores both the churn within smaller parties and the consolidation efforts underway ahead of 2026.

For now, the message from Paarivendhar is unambiguous: the party seeks seven constituencies and will test its strength on its own symbol — even as the final contours of the AIADMK-led alliance are still being negotiated.