Erode (East): A bypoll with few challenges for DMK Premium

The upcoming bypoll for the Erode (East) Assembly constituency, necessitated by the death of the Congress legislator E.V.K.S. Elangovan, poses little threat to the ruling DMK dispensation.

In normal circumstances, a bye-election should be a political audit of the government’s performance. In Tamil Nadu, although a few bye-elections have favoured Opposition parties, most of them have gone in favour of the ruling dispensation. The entire Cabinet and official machinery work towards this goal, as ruling parties treat bypolls as a matter of prestige.

The upcoming bypoll for the Erode (East) Assembly constituency, on February 5, 2025, necessitated by the death of the Congress legislator E.V.K.S. Elangovan, however, poses little threat to the ruling dispensation. With the General Assembly election just a year away, the Congress has stepped aside in favour of its alliance leader, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which has announced V.C. Chandirakumar, a former DMDK legislator, as its candidate.

Erode is witnessing a second bypoll in two years. In 2023, a bypoll was held after Thirumagan Evera, the son of Mr. Elangovan, passed away. The Congress successfully fielded Mr. Elangovan in the by-election with DMK’s support. This time, the Congress has left it to the DMK, as family members of Mr. Elangovan are not keen on contesting.

The charm of the impending bypoll was lost on the day that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the main Opposition party, announced its decision to boycott it. It is surprising, given the AIADMK’s organisational strength in the western region, known as the Kongu belt.

Even today, the AIADMK is represented in the Assembly by more members from this region. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is also staying away from the bypoll.

In a State where by-elections were furiously fought and heralded a change of regime, the decision of the AIADMK and the NDA to boycott them exposes their inability to put up a good fight, let alone secure victory. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami justified his party’s decision on the grounds that the ruling party would misuse its power and not allow the electors to cast their votes freely.

While the ruling party has an advantage in a by-election, as the voters in the constituency generally do not take risks by electing an Opposition party candidate, the AIADMK could have left a mark if it had the company of the BJP. The absence of a strong alliance, rather than the “excesses of the ruling party”, as alleged by Mr. Palaniswami, is the reason behind the AIADMK’s boycott.