ERODE: The DMK is leaving no stone unturned to regain the Modakurichi Assembly constituency from the BJP. The ruling party has appointed KE Prakash, the Erode MP, as an extra hand to strengthen the election campaign amid apathy among a section of the functionaries after the seat was given to an ally.
In Modakurichi, an MDMK candidate, S Senthilnathan, is contesting under the DMK's 'Rising Sun' symbol. The constituency gained attention across Tamil Nadu in 2021 after senior DMK leader Subbulakshmi Jagadees suffered defeat at the hands of BJP candidate C Saraswathi by a margin of just 281 votes. (The BJP secured 78,125 votes and the DMK 77,844.)
As the BJP won in its maiden electoral contest, the DMK camp was stunned.
It was alleged that internal politics within the Erode district unit of the DMK led to the party's upset. This time the BJP has fielded C Krithika, the daughter-in-law of sitting MLA C Saraswathi. In the DMK alliance, the seat has been allotted to the MDMK, upsetting local DMK functionaries who wished to contest in the constituency. DMK sources indicate that this has caused a slowdown in election work within the constituency.
The DMK leadership is determined not to lose the constituency to the BJP this time. Prakash, the Erode MP, who has been deployed to beef up the campaign, is close to Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.
Sachidanandam, the party's weaver's wing secretary, who was previously appointed as the campaign in-charge, also continues in the role.
Speaking to TNIE, Prakash said, "This time it won't happen like last time in Modakurichi. The DMK's poll promises and welfare schemes have effectively reached the people in the constituency. Only the upper-class people support the BJP. The middle- and lower-classes are supporting the candidate of the DMK's alliance. We will definitely win by a margin of about 30,000 votes."
"Local Minister S Muthusamy serves as the District Secretary for the constituency. However, he is contesting in the Erode West constituency. Further, the West Zone in-charge V Senthil Balaji visited the constituency last week. Only after that, an additional in-charge has been appointed," party sources said.
BJP candidate Krithika, however, is hopeful of retaining the seat her mother-in-law had won. "I meet people from all walks of life. I don't divide people into upper and lower classes. The people of the constituency know me well through the welfare activities carried out by my Aram Trust.
My mother-in-law's services to this constituency also will help me."
Recently, Union Minister Piyush Goyal visited Erode and campaigned for Krithika. Earlier, the AIADMK had won the Modakurichi seat six times straight. The DMK has so far won four times.