DMK Has The Edge As AIADMK May Back Out Of Erode East Bypoll

The bypoll for the Erode East Assembly seat in Tamil Nadu to be held on February 27, will be the first major test of the political waters since the Assembly elections of 2021 won by the DMK under MK Stalin. The DMK+ is in pole position to take the seat and may well give it back to the Congress since its MLA Thiruman Eeveraa, great grandson of EV Periyar, had died mid-term, but the Opposition is in great disarray. AIADMK is not even certain it can put up a candidate officially as the cases between the EPS and OPS factions are still in the courts, in Supreme Court as well as Madras HC and ECI, and the final word on them may not come before the time for nominations arrives. As a matter of abundant caution, AIADMK has approached GK Vasan of TMC towards fielding a candidate again in case EPS, who heads the legally recognised AIADMK thus far, cannot get his candidate authorised to stand as the signatures of both Coordinator and Joint Coordinator may be needed for this. Since a TMC candidate had stood there in 2021, it might seem logical for the AIADMK+ in the State to make over the candidature to that party. EPS may also wish to avoid a showdown with DMK so early when the AIADMK cases are still in court.