Erode East bypoll: DMK’s Chandhirakumar sure of victory; NTK's Seethalakshmi calls poll officials 'unfair'
“DMK's rising sun symbol will achieve a big win because of the welfare schemes implemented by the Dravidian model government over the last four years,” said Chandhirakumar to the media.
CHENNAI: DMK’s propaganda committee state joint convenor and party candidate for the Erode East bye-election, VC Chandhirakumar has declared that the ruling party’s expected landslide victory will serve as a prelude to its grand win in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
A total of 46 candidates are in the fray in the bypolls necessitated by the demise of veteran Congress MLA EVKS Elangovan. DMK’s VC Chandhirakumar and Naam Tamilar Katchi's (NTK) MK Seethalakshmi are crossing swords in the bypolls that saw lacklustre campaigning as major opposition political parties have boycotted the polls.
“DMK’s rising sun symbol will secure a big win because of the welfare schemes implemented by the Dravidian model of government over the last four years. The victory in this bypoll will reflect in 2026 assembly polls also,” said DMK candidate VC Chandrakumar to the media, after casting his vote at a polling booth in Mosuvanna Street.
NTK candidate Seethalakshmi, who does not have a vote in the constituency, inspected the polling stations and accused election authorities of an indifferent attitude.
“I was asked to take away the party’s towel on my shoulder while visiting the polling stations, whereas the DMK candidate was allowed with a towel. Is this a democracy? There are no equal rights for all,” she said.
In another incident, the NTK and DMK workers broke into a heated argument after agents of NTK raised allegations of bogus voting at a polling station in Veerappanchathiram area. A large number of police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
District Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara, who cast his vote in a polling station in Sampath Nagar, said that minor technical glitches reported in around 14 EVMs were rectified in a short time and polling commenced without any major disruptions.
Polling was by and large peaceful at the 237 polling stations in the constituency barring some stray incidents.
