Tamil Nadu bypoll: Congress set to cruise to Erode East win aided by Stalin govt image

Candidate E V K S Elangovan says, “This victory was expected. It is a recognition of CM Stalin's governance. He has completed almost 80 per cent of the poll promises in 20 months.”

Written by Arun Janardhanan

Chennai | Updated: March 2, 2023 11:07 PM IST

3 min read

DMK-backed Secular Progressive Alliance candidate EVKS Elangovan after casting his vote at a polling booth during the Erode (East) Assembly seat by-poll. (PTI)

Listen to this article

Your browser does not support the audio element.

The Congress is set to retain the Erode East Assembly constituency, with its candidate E V K S Elangovan taking a massive lead of 21,137 votes over the AIADMK’s K S Thennarasu after four rounds of counting. The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Congress MLA E Thirumagan Evera, Elangovan’s son, on January 4.

While 77 candidates are in the fray, the main contest is between Elangovan and Thennarasu, a former AIADMK legislator. Naam Tamilar Katchi’s N Menaka and DMDK’s S Anand are among the other candidates.

Must Read | Erode bypoll today: Here’s everything you need to know

Political observers said the victory margin was expected to increase to over 30,000. The result was not unexpected for either the DMK or the AIADMK, with the advantage of being a ruling party favouring the DMK and its ally and uncertainties and internal disputes affecting the AIADMK’s performance.

Several factors have helped the Congress candidate, including the governance track record of the M K Stalin government, Elangovan’s own clean image, and popular schemes such as the free bus ride scheme for women and the morning breakfast scheme. These factors have helped him stay ahead of his rival, despite the massive deployment of resources by both parties.

Elangovan also said the Stalin government’s positive image helped him. “This victory was expected. It is a recognition of CM Stalin’s governance. He has completed almost 80 per cent of the poll promises in 20 months. This is also an example of how much love and affection the people have towards our leader Rahul Gandhi,” the Congress leader told reporters.

Erode East has over 2.26 lakh voters and 50,000 of them are from the minority community, a crucial factor for the AIADMK-BJP alliance. An alliance of Left and Dalit parties rallied behind Elangovan, giving the Congress leader a boost.

The campaign period witnessed almost all Cabinet ministers of the DMK and all former ministers of AIADMK engaging in grassroots campaigns. Last week, Stalin, during his campaign speeches, also invoked memories of EVK Sampath, Elangovan’s father who belongs to the family of Dravidian movement icon Periyar. The chief minister said, “The son of Kalaignar (the late Karunanidhi) has come here to seek your votes for the son of Sampath.”

Story continues below this ad

Nearly 75 per cent of eligible voters cast their votes in the byelection held on February 27, making it a keenly contested affair.

Arun Janardhanan

Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More

Tags:

Political Pulse