Tamil Nadu: Congress wins Erode bypoll, DMK chief Stalin calls it a victory for ‘Dravidian Model’

Tamil Nadu: Congress wins Erode bypoll, DMK chief Stalin calls it a victory for ‘Dravidian Model’

Elangovan, a former Union Minister of State, polled 1,10,516 votes, to retain the seat that had fallen vacant following the untimely death of his son Thirumahan Everaa.

N Chithra Updated: Thursday, March 02, 2023, 11:04 PM IST
article-image

Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan, who has been backed by the ruling DMK, on Thursday won the Erode East Assembly bypoll in western Tamil Nadu, defeating Thennarasu of the AIADMK by a huge margin of 66,233 votes.

Elangovan, a former Union Minister of State, polled 1,10,516 votes, to retain the seat that had fallen vacant following the untimely death of his son Thirumahan Everaa. This was the first bypoll since the Assembly elections of 2021.

Setback for Palaniswami

Thennarasu was fielded under by the AIADMK under the leadership of former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol after the Supreme Court’s intervention in his dispute with ousted leader O Panneerselvam. However, he got only 43,923 seats. For Palaniswami, the result was a setback considering the poor show in the western region, which is considered his home turf.

'Dravidian model'

DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin declared that the voters had given a massive mandate for the continuation of the “Dravidian model” of government. The chief minister was of the view that the result had laid the foundation for the victory of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance in next year’s Lok Sabha elections. Stalin accused Palaniswami of making below-the-belt and uncivil remarks, “forgetting his status”, during the campaign.

Stalin, who on his birthday had given a call for forging a national level opposition alliance with the Congress as a constituent, reiterated that the next Lok Sabha polls would be about “who should not be in power”.

Palaniswami blamed the electoral loss on money power and said democracy has been murdered.

RECENT STORIES

'Vasooli Titans': Woman Cricketer Pooja Vastrakar Shares Post Mocking PM Modi, Amit Shah, Deletes It...

'Vasooli Titans': Woman Cricketer Pooja Vastrakar Shares Post Mocking PM Modi, Amit Shah, Deletes It...

Chhattisgarh Murder: Minor Girl Strangulates Boyfriend To Death After He Forces Her To Establish...

Chhattisgarh Murder: Minor Girl Strangulates Boyfriend To Death After He Forces Her To Establish...

Manaskhand Express: All You Need To Know About Special Tourist Train From Pune To Tanakpur,...

Manaskhand Express: All You Need To Know About Special Tourist Train From Pune To Tanakpur,...

Gujarat: Security Beefed Up For Union Minister Parshottam Rupala Amidst Kshatriya Community Protests

Gujarat: Security Beefed Up For Union Minister Parshottam Rupala Amidst Kshatriya Community Protests

Video: Varanasi Airport Staffer Uses Sponge Board To Prevent Luggage Damage On Conveyor Belt;...

Video: Varanasi Airport Staffer Uses Sponge Board To Prevent Luggage Damage On Conveyor Belt;...