DMK and NTK engage in silent door-to-door campaigning ahead of Erode East bypolls
As the campaigning for the Erode East bypoll officially ended at 6 p.m. on Monday, cadres of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) have shifted their focus to silent door-to-door voter outreach.
The by-election, scheduled for February 5, has turned into a direct contest between the ruling DMK and NTK after the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opted out of the race.
DMK’s candidate, former MLA V.C. Chandhirakumar, is contesting against M.K. Seethalakshmi, the women’s wing leader of NTK, led by actor-turned-politician Seeman. DMK, contesting this seat after taking over from its ally, the Congress, is confident of a landslide victory. Despite the absence of AIADMK and BJP candidates, the ruling party is treating the election seriously.
Tamil Nadu Urban Development and Housing Minister S. Muthusamy, who also serves as DMK’s Erode district secretary, led the campaign alongside local MP Prakash. Speaking to reporters, Muthusamy expressed confidence that DMK would secure victory with a margin of 1.2 lakh votes.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has instructed party leaders to ensure a decisive win, while DMK’s youth wing leader and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin played a key role in mobilizing support for Chandhirakumar.
Polling will take place from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with 46 candidates in the fray. The constituency has 2,27,546 registered voters, including 1,10,128 men, 1,17,381 women, and 37 third-gender individuals. Voting will be conducted across 237 polling stations, and election materials will be dispatched to polling centers on Tuesday afternoon.
The by-election was necessitated by the demise of veteran Congress leader EVKS Elangovan, who won the seat in the 2023 by-election after the sudden passing of his son, Thirumahan Everaa, due to a heart attack on January 4, 2023. In the 2023 bypoll, Elangovan secured victory with a margin of 66,233 votes against AIADMK’s K.S. Thenarassu, while NTK’s candidate Menaka Navaneethan managed only 10,827 votes.
NTK’s campaign, led by Seeman, focused on criticizing Dravidar Kazhagam founder ‘Periyar’ E.V. Ramasamy and targeting the DMK government. Meanwhile, DMK’s campaign, spearheaded by Minister Muthusamy, highlighted the state government’s achievements.
Though the election campaign remained largely peaceful, tensions flared between NTK and Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) cadres on Sunday. Following the altercation, police registered over eight cases against Seeman, NTK candidate M.K. Seethalakshmi, and party cadres for violating campaign curfews, staging a road blockade, and assaulting TPDK members.
The bypoll comes at a time when the DMK government is under scrutiny over issues like the Anna University sexual assault case and concerns regarding law and order in Tamil Nadu. The ruling party views this election as an opportunity to reinforce the narrative that public support remains strong.
