DMK MLA from Tirutani Assembly Constituency for the by-election to Erode (East) Assembly Constituency on February 14, 2023. Chandran riding a camel while seeking votes for Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan. Photo: Special Arrangement
With less than two weeks left for polling in the Erode (East) assembly constituency and political campaigning intensifying, DMK ministers and former AIADMK ministers are trying various strategies to grab the voters’ attention.
On Tuesday, DMK MLA from Tiruttani assembly constituency S. Chandran carried the flags of both DMK and Congress and rode a camel seeking votes for Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan in BP Agraharam’s Vandipettai.
Minister for Minorities Welfare and Welfare for Non-Resident Tamils Gingee KS Mastan preparing dosa at a restaurant while campaigning for the Erode (East) by-election on February 12, 2023. Photo Credit: Govardhan M
Minister for Minorities Welfare and Welfare for Non-Resident Tamils Gingee KS Mastan made parottas at a roadside eatery in Sampath Nagar, prepared tea at a stall and also tried his hand at a gym.
Former AIADMK minister RB Udayakumar also made tea at a stall and played drums during the campaign.
DMDK’s Deputy General Secretary LK Sudhish sold vegetables at a shop in Erode on February 14, 2023, party’s candidate S. Seeking votes for Anand. Photo Credit: Govardhan M
LK Sudhish, DMDK’s deputy general secretary and brother-in-law of party founder Vijayakanth, sought votes by selling vegetables and making tea. Vijaya Prabhakaran, Vijayakanth’s son, also played the dhol, which is his party’s symbol.
The bypoll was necessitated by the death of former MLA E. Thirumahan Evra and polling was to be held on February 27. There are 77 candidates in the fray in the constituency, where Congress candidate Elangovan will face AIADMK’s K.S. Thenarasu.
Besides independent candidates, Naam Tamilar Katchi’s Menaka Navaneethan and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK)’s S Anand are the other contestants.