The 13th century CE Tamil stone inscription in Kankuveli village records the assignment by Vanniar chiefs Malaiyil Vanniyanar and Eluril Atappar of income and other contributions from the rice fields and meadows of the Vannimai districts of the ascending Jaffna kingdom to the Koneswaram shrine.
Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) party deriving strength from vanniars, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katch (VCK) party based on Dalit votes and Puthiya Thamilagam based on another sect of Dalits have been gaining prominence in Tamil Nadu.
The leader of the party claims to represent Mudaliars and he argued that Vanniars have exploited the political machinery in Tamil Nadu through Pattali Makkal Katchi to attain reservation benefits and political representations.
Statewide Road Blockade Agitations were launched by Vanniar Sangam (Parent Body of Pattali Makkal Katchi) demanding 20% reservations in State Government and 2% Reservations in Central Government exclusively for Vanniyar Caste.