Erode East by-poll: Win must for EPS to stamp his authority in AIADMK

After the deposed AIADMK leader, O. Panneerselvam (OPS) withdrew his candidate, T. Senthil Murugan from contesting the Erode East by-elections on the request from the state BJP, the onus is now left of Edapapdi K. Palaniswami(EPS) to make the AIADMK candidate and former minister, K.V. Thenarasu victorious.

Chennai, Feb 8 (BPNS)

While odds are in favour of the DMK led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) candidate and senior Congress leader, EVKS Elangovan to win the elections, the power of the EPS in the Kongu belt of Tamil Nadu has to be in display for clinching a victory for the AIADMK candidate. It may be recalled that the by-election was necessitated following the passing away of sitting legislator, E. Thirumahan Everaa who is the son of EVKS Elangovan. The Congress candidate, Thirumahan Everaa had won the 2021 assembly elections with a margin of 8924 votes.

With the DMK front under Stalin performing well in administration, the AIADMK does not have much winning chance but the party is trying to fan up the failure of the government could not cancel NEET for admission to medical and allied courses as well as the DMK could not provide the Rs 1000 per month support to BPL women which was a poll promise of the DMK.

The BJP state president, K. Annamalai has already exhorted to the party cadres to work sleeplessly for the victory of the AIADMK candidate. The AIADMK is banking on the hope that Erode belt has a good support base for EPS and the Gounder community to which he belongs to may throw their weight for the AIADMK candidate.

The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam( AMMK) of TTV Dhinakaran has also withdrawn its candidate from the electoral fray and this will also be advantageous to the AIADMK. It may be noted that both OPS and Dhinakran were leaders of the AIADMK in the immediate past.

The DMK however has got a shot in the arm following the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) of South Indian superstar, Kamal Haasan announced his party’s support to the DMK/ Congress candidate. The MNM had in the 2021 assembly elections won around 10,000 votes.

However in politics arithmetics need not work but it is the political chemistry that matters and if AIADMK does the grass root work in a proper manner, the party has a fair chance of pulling off a memorable win which will stamp in the authority of EPS as the sole leader of the AIADMK.