Chennai, Feb 5 (UNI) An estimated 42.41 per cent of the total 2.27 lakh
electorate have cast their ballots till 1300 hrs as voting for the Erode East
Assembly constituency, which began on Wednesday morning, is proceeding
smoothly.
According to reports received here, the polling was brisk since morning as
the turn out kept increasing with every hour.
The voting percentage which stood at 26.03 per cent by 1100 hrs, picked
up momentum as 42.41 per cent of voters have cast their ballots.
District Election Officer and Erode District Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara
has been monitoring the polling process using CCTV cameras and online
live streaming and also through micro observers.
Tight security arrangements were put in place as polling was continuing in
237 booths in 53 locations of which nearly 10 booths were identified as
vulnerable and sensitive and additional security personnel were deployed.
A total of 3,000 police personnel and three companies of central para-military
forces were deployed on security duty,.
The fate of 46 candidates will be decided in the bypoll, the second in this
constituency in two years.
An estimated 2,27,576 voters in the constituency, including 1,10,128 men,
1,17,381 women and and 37 transgenders are expected to cast their ballot.
The counting of votes would take place on February 8.
Though there are 46 candidates in the fray and with major political parties
staying away from the contest, the main contest was between the ruling
DMK's V C Chandrakumar and M K Seethalakshi of the Naam Tamilar
Katchi (NTK) of actor-director Seeman.
Both the leading candidates also turned up at their respective polling
centres and exercised their democratic right.
The DMK was already assured of a win as the campaign turned out to be
a low key affair, when compared to previous bypolls.
It would be a 'dead rubber' contest and the only question is about the margin
of votes the DMK would win.
Unlike in the past, it was not a high decibel election which marks byelections
in the state since the 90s, with the ruling party clearly having an edge.
DMK Assistant Propaganda Secretary V C Chandrakumar, who had joined the
party in 2016 after quitting the actor-politician Vijayakanth-led DMDK, and NTK
candidate, Ms Seethalakshmi, also the party's Women's Wing Coordinator, were
the main candidates, while the rest were Independents.
With the major Opposition parties, including the AIADMK, its ally the DMDK, the
BJP-led NDA and the the nascent Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) of actor Vijay
deciding to boycott the polls alleging that going by the past experience the elections
would not be held in a free and fair manner as the DMK would unleash its money
power and misuse the official machinery, the bypoll will witness a straight contest
between the DMK and the NTK.
Though the Congress had held the seat in 2021 and 2023, it had conceded the seat
to the DMK on a request from DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin.
This followed talks the DMK had with the Congress and after reaching an unanimous
decision between them keeping in mind the ensuing 2026 Assembly elections, following
which Mr Stalin announced Chandrakumar as the candidate for the bypoll with the
support of the allies of the DMK-led Front.
According to TNCC President K Selvaperunthagai, who is also the Congress Legislature
Party Leader in the State Assembly, the Congress party decided not to contest the bypoll
and gave the seat to the DMK, which is heading the INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu, on a first
time request from Mr Stalin citing the ensuing 2026 Assembly polls.
"On a request from Mr Stalin, who is heading the INDIA alliance bloc in the State, and after
holding discussions with the Congress High Command and State party office-bearers, it
was unanimously decided that the DMK would contest the bypoll", he said.
The bypoll, the second in two years, was necessitated following the death of Senior Congress
Leader and sitting MLA EVKS Elangovan in December last year.
This is the third election to this seat since 2021 in which Mr Elangovan's son Thiru Mahan
E.Ve.Ra was elected to the Assembly for the first time.
However, his untimely death resulted in bypoll held on February 28, 2023 and it was won by
Mr Elangovan, who is also a former Union Minister and former TNCC President, by highest
ever margin of over 66,000 votes and entered the State Assembly after a gap of 39 years.
However, Mr Elangovan's unfortunate death in December 2024, has resulted in yet another
bypoll to the seat, which the Congress gave it to the DMK.
UNI GV 1435