Synopsis
The DMK in Tamil Nadu is poised for a significant victory in the Erode East bye-election, with V.C. Chandhirakumar favored to win by a wide margin. A voter turnout of 65% has been reported, reflecting strong electoral engagement in this contested seat.Key Takeaways
- DMK expects a large victory in Erode East.
- V.C. Chandhirakumar is the leading candidate.
- Voter turnout reached 65% in the bye-election.
- AIADMK and allies opted not to contest.
- Election tensions arose between NTK and TPDK supporters.
Chennai, Feb 6 (NationPress) The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu is optimistic about achieving a substantial victory in the Erode East bye-election, with their candidate, senior party leader and former MLA V.C. Chandhirakumar, anticipated to win by a considerable margin. The Election Commission has reported a voter turnout of 65 percent in this bye-election.
S. Muthusamy, the Erode South district secretary of the DMK and Tamil Nadu’s Urban Development Minister, informed media representatives that Chandhirakumar is predicted to triumph by around 1.25 lakh votes.
Muthusamy, who led the election campaign, had earlier forecasted a comfortable victory for the party.
The necessity for the bye-election arose due to the passing of veteran Congress leader EVKS Elangovan, who won the seat in the 2023 bypoll after the unexpected death of his son, Thirumahan Everaa, from a heart attack on January 4, 2023.
In the 2023 bye-election, Elangovan achieved a commanding victory with a margin of 66,233 votes, defeating AIADMK’s K.S. Thenarassu.
At the same time, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) candidate Menaka Navaneethan could garner only 10,827 votes.
The bye-election for Erode East took place on February 5, with DMK’s Chandhirakumar contending against NTK candidate M.K. Seethalakshmi.
The Election Commission confirmed a voter turnout of 65 percent.
Significantly, the main Opposition party, AIADMK, along with BJP, DMDK, and Tamil cinema superstar Vijay’s newly-formed political entity, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), chose to abstain from the electoral battle.
Despite their absence, the election comprised 46 candidates, including numerous independents, vying for the seat.
NTK, led by Seeman, focused its campaign on sharp critiques of Dravidar Kazhagam founder E.V. Ramasamy ‘Periyar’ and adopted a confrontational approach towards the DMK government.
In contrast, DMK emphasized its governance achievements to reassure voter confidence.
While the election campaign mainly proceeded without incident, tensions erupted on Sunday between NTK and Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) supporters.
This altercation resulted in several police cases against Seeman, Seethalakshmi, and various party members for violating campaign curfews, obstructing roads, and assaulting TPDK members.
This bye-election is crucial for the DMK government, which has faced scrutiny over various controversies, including the Anna University sexual assault case and concerns regarding law and order in Tamil Nadu.
With polling concluded smoothly, all attention is now directed towards the vote count scheduled for February 8, which will determine the next representative of Erode East.
