Chennai: Egged on by his lieutenants, EPS has decided to field a candidate from the AIADMK against the Congress, backed by the DMK and its secular allies, in the bypoll for the Erode-East assembly segment. Even though securing the party symbol for the candidate contesting the election remains elusive till now, EPS appears to have sensed an opportunity to strengthen his claim for being the undisputed leader of the AIADMK.
The seat fell vacant following the death of E Thirumahan Everaa of the Congress on January 4 and polling is slated for February 27. With nominations commencing on January 31, there is hectic political activity in the AIADMK camp.
Following convention, the DMK, heading the Secular Progressive Alliance, has allowed the Congress, which held the seat, to contest it. On the contrary, the AIADMK has convinced the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) of GK Vasan, MP, which lost the election in 2021 by 8904 votes, not to stake any claim so that it can enter the fray. The reason proffered was that only the AIADMK has the wherewithal and the organizational might to fight the bypoll.
“The AIADMK should contest the bypoll. Given the present political situation and the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the TMC acceded to the request of the AIADMK, heading the alliance. The decision was taken considering the interests of the coalition,” Vasan said in a statement, endorsing the AIADMK's demand.
Being a junior partner, the TMC had very few options other than this. Vasan also added that the AIADMK delegation led by former minister D Jayakumar yesterday had convinced him of the need for the AIADMK to be in the fray. Prior to this the TMC chief had met with EPS and held discussions.
Meanwhile, the BJP, had constituted a 14-member panel for the bypoll, fueling speculation that the party would throw its hat in the ring. However, state president K Annamalai had made it clear that forming an election committee is a usual one and that he had already spoken to EPS and Vasan. Yet, the saffron party had a brainstorming session at its state executive committee meeting in Cuddalore today in which the party in charge of Tamil Nadu, CT Ravi was present.
The AIADMK is expected to convince the BJP as well. An AIADMK delegation will land at Kamalalayam, the BJP headquarters here, tomorrow and hold parleys with the saffron leadership. The latter too will come around in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Expressing confidence, Jayakumar said, “Only the AIADMK can put up a tough fight against the Congress in Erode east. The TMC has accepted our view following discussions,” he told the media.
Contesting the bypoll will help EPS to shore up his image as the strongman of the Kongu belt, western Tamil Nadu where the OBC Goundar community is politically dominant. He is also from that community. Further, it is an opportunity to decimate the rival faction led by OPS, belonging to the OBC Thevar community, which is strong only in the south.
But then, for a candidate to be allotted the party symbol, both OPS and EPS have to sign for authorization because, the Election Commission of India still holds OPS as the party Coordinator and EPS as Joint Coordinator. It has not accepted the election of EPS as interim general secretary and the expulsion of OPS from the party. That was the reason why in the last bypoll for civic bodies, the AIADMK did not contest. Also, in the event of OPS too fielding a candidate, both will not get the party symbol.
“As such, it is a double-edged sword for EPS. Only if his candidate gets a respectable number of votes, it will be a morale booster for him. Further, the demographic profile of the constituency is not favorable to EPS since his community is not in a majority and accounts for only 10 to 15 per cent. In the past too, when Jayalalithaa was at the helm, the AIADMK had allotted the seat to the allies considering it not as safe. Even the BJP doesn't have a base there,” explains political analyst Raveendran Duraisamy, adding, “it is a gamble taken by EPS and it remains to be seen whether it pays off.”
