DMK on path to win in Erode East bypoll
The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) was leading in the Erode East bypoll in Tamil Nadu, with its candidate V.C. Chandhirakumar on the path to a resounding victory.
Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) candidate M.K. Seethalakshmi was trailing since the counting began around 7 am.
As of 1:20 pm, Chandhirakumar was leading by over 38,000 votes with 7 of 17 rounds counted, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
While DMK’s Chandhirakumar secured about 49,448 votes, Seethalakshmi was trailing with 10,600 votes.
With the major opposition parties, AIADMK and BJP, opting out of the bypolls, NTK, led by former film director Seeman, stood as the only significant opposition.
Ever since the bypolls were announced, Seeman’s harsh criticism of Dravidian stalwart and social reformer E.V. Ramasamy, known as Periyar, framed the electoral contest as a battle between “Dravidianism” and “Tamil nationalism”.
On winning in Erode East, which is Periyar’s native district, DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai said that attempts to tarnish Periyar’s legacy with false claims would not succeed.