Erode East Bypoll Results: The counting of voting for by-poll to the Erode East Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu is completed amid heavy police protection. As per the ECI data, DMK's Chandhirakumar has won against NTTK's Seethalakshmi by over 91,000 votes.
The voter turnout in the byelection held for the Erode East Assembly Constituency on February 5 has decreased by 6.72 per cent compared to the 2023 bypoll, according to Election officials.
Erode East Assembly: Key candidates and contest
As many as 46 candidates are contesting for the Erode East assembly constituency. However, all the prominent opposition parties— including AIADMK, BJP, Actor Vijay's TVK, Shasikala's DMDK— have boycotted the bypoll, alleging that DNK would utilise muscle power to win the bypoll, without following democratic principles. The seat was long held by Congress but the DMK decided to contest the seat this time as part of the coalition.
DMK has fielded Chandhirakumar VC. On the other hand, NTK has pitted MK Seethalakshmi. Other cnadidates in the contest are BPAP's M Arumugam and MJK's Anand Subramani among others.
What necessitated bypoll?
This is the second bypoll announcement to the Erode seat in less than two years. The seat was represented by Congress leader Thirumagan Evera until he died on January 4, 2023. After his demise, his father EVKS Elangovan contested the seat and won the bypoll. On December 14, 2024, Elangovan died due to illness. The seat fell vacant again.
Erode East Assembly Election: Past Winners
In 2023, Congress' EVKS Elangovan won the seat by garnering 1,10,156 votes (64.58 per cent). He defeated AIADMK's KS Thennarasu by 66,233 votes. Thennarasu polled 43,923 votes (25.75 per cent). NTK's Menaka Navaneethan stood third with 10,827 votes (6.35 per cent).
In 2021, Congress' Thirumagan Everaa Elangovan won the seat by a margin of 8,904 votes. He polled 67,300 votes (44.47 per cent). He defeated AIADMK's Yuvaraja M who got 58,396 votes (38.41 per cent). NTK candidate Gomathi S polled 11,575 votes (7.65 per cent) and stood in third position.