Speculations over, DMK allots Erode East to Cong

CHENNAI: After briefly considering contesting the by-poll to Erode East Assembly constituency, alliance leader DMK has allotted the seat to the Congress party. The decision to allow Congress to retain its sitting seat was made after a meeting between the two parties at DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam late on Thursday evening.

A statement released by the DMK in the name of Secular Progressive Alliance said that party president and Chief Minister MK Stalin’s consultation with the leaders of the alliance, it has been decided to allot Erode East seat, which goes for polls on February 27, to the Congress which had won it in 2021.

A delegation of Congress leaders comprising TNCC president KS Alagiri, and his predecessors EVKS Elangovan, Su Thirunavukkarasar and M Krishnasamy met Stalin at Arivalayam and thanked him for allocating the seat, putting to bed speculation about the DMK planning to field a candidate.

DMK sources maintained that the decision to allocate the seat to Congress and the manner in which it was communicated in the name of the alliance was a testament to their commitment to the alliance and the ideology it advances. Meanwhile, the Congress circles have started speculating on the choice of candidate who would contest from the seat that fell vacant after the death of Congress MLA Thirumagan Everaa, son of senior leader Elangovan.

While a member of Elangovan or Everaa’s family is touted to be the favourite to secure the ticket, insiders suggest that the choices were limited, as the former union minister’s businessman-son Sampath was not keen on taking the political plunge at least until recently.

Though Elangovan’s name is also making the rounds, sources said he is eyeing his chances in next year’s general election. His candidature could also disturb the Congress dynamics in the State Assembly, as K Selvaperunthagai, a relative junior, is the legislature party leader. ↔ More on P5