It may be a toss-up between DMK & Congress in Erode bypoll

Cong had a sure shot at the seat in the bypoll in Feb 2023; Sanjay Sampath, son of EVKS Elangovan, may be party’s pick this time

With poll code coming into effect, the offices of mayor and deputy mayor being locked in Erode   Photo | Express

CHENNAI/ERODE: With the Election Commission of India (ECI) announcing the schedule for the Erode (East) by-election, the DMK-led alliance is yet to reveal whether the seat will be contested by Congress, which held it earlier, or the ruling DMK. This is unlike the last bypoll to the constituency in February 2023, when it was obvious from the beginning that the seat would go to Congress.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai, while addressing newspersons recently, expressed hope that the Congress would surely contest again. However, he sounded cautious on Tuesday when he told TNIE, “We will discuss the issue with the All Indian Congress Committee (AICC) and Chief Minister MK Stalin before making a decision.”

Sources in Congress said its Erode district unit wants to contest again and has passed a resolution recently in this regard. Sources in Erode said many, including Erode South district president ‘Makkal’ G Rajan, are vying for the seat while some are floating the name of Sanjay Sampath, the son of EVKS Elangovan, whose recent death necessitated the bypoll.

However, local DMK functionaries are also keen about the party directly contesting and have conveyed the same to party leadership. “Hence, some of us think why to create friction with the DMK ahead of the Assembly election in 2026,” said a Congress leader in Erode. Interestingly, some local leaders of DMK also shared similar opinion, stressing the need to not provide fodder to the AIADMK and BJP, who are already trying to create a perception that all is not well within DMK alliance.

Nevertheless, DMK has begun their poll work in a full-fledged manner. With most wards of Erode corporation falling within the constituency, DMK cadre started ward-wise work at least three days ago, sources said.

They said the party cadre are especially collecting details of those who did not vote in the previous bypoll and are also collecting mobile numbers. “For instance, of the more than 980 voters in corporation ward 32, as many as 300 did not vote last time. We have collected their details now,” a source said.

All other parties, including the AIADMK, are yet to start their work.