ERODE: Local Congress functionaries in the Erode East Assembly constituency are upset over the party leadership's decision on the candidate named for the election and want him to be replaced with a local leader.
The party's national secretary, Gopinath Palaniappan, who is from Tiruppur has been nominated to contest from Erode East. Although Gopi's supporters are claiming he is a native of Erode, local Congress functionaries say he is an 'outsider'.
While addressing reporters, Makkal G Rajan, former district president, said, "It is unacceptable that the sons of the soil have been sidelined and an opportunity to contest has been given to someone from Tiruppur. The candidate who has already been announced must be replaced immediately. The opportunity should be given to the local functionaries who have worked for the party in Erode. The Congress leadership must accept our demand and take appropriate action. Otherwise, the party's victory in the constituency will certainly be affected."
On Saturday, dissatisfied functionaries and cadres gathered near Gandhi's statue in Erode to press their demand. The prevailing confusion in the Erode East constituency has caused unease among party cadres. They also feel that this will affect victory.
Candidate Palaniappan said, "I am also a son of this soil and completed my schooling in Erode. I have met the Housing Minister S Muthusamy, who is also from the district, and all the functionaries have begun my election work in the constituency. It is common for dissatisfaction to arise during seat allocation. We will rectify it in the appropriate manner. This matter will not affect our Victory."
P Rajesh Rajappa, President of Urban District Congress, said, "We will find an appropriate solution to this matter through negotiations. Half of the dissidents have already been pacified."
Erode East, which is the smallest constituency in Erode district, was carved out during the 2008 delimitation. The AIADMK alliance won in this constituency in the 2011 and 2016 Assembly election. But, in 2021, Congress candidate E Thirumahan Evera won here.
Following his demise in 2023, his father, EVKS Elangovan, won the first by-election. However, following Elangovan's demise in 2024, the DMK contested the second by-election subsequently held in Erode East. Consequently, local Congress functionaries lamented that the Erode East constituency had slipped out of their hands.
Recently, as part of the seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming election, the Erode East constituency was once again allotted to the Congress within the DMK alliance. While this brought joy among local Congress members, the happiness did not last as the announcement of the candidate didn't go as they wished.