Election campaign heats up in Erode

ERODE: AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami making a brief stopover at a tea shop to have a cup of the beverage, DMK minister Gingee K S Masthan demonstrating his parotta-making skills in a roadside eatery, and another minister Thangam Thennarasu riding pillion to meet voters on a busy stretch – campaigning in the Erode East assembly segment has finally caught up.
For more than 10 days, EPS chose not to visit Erode East and left it to his senior party leaders like K A Sengottaiyan to do the groundwork. On Wednesday, he landed in the constituency setting the pace for an intense campaign.
As soon as he landed, EPS got cracking with a closed-door meeting. AIADMK functionaries, members of alliance parties and a cross-section of influential people from the segment, including industrialists, participated in the meet.
Asking party cadres to go on an aggressive campaign, he sought the support of industrialists, weavers and farmers for AIADMK. “What has the DMK contributed to Erode district or Erode East constituency in the last 21 months since they assumed power?’’ he asked.
“DMK will make numerous promises for the sake of getting votes. But they will not fulfil any promises,” he alleged.
He took a dig at chief minister M K Stalin for the behaviour of ministers. “How can Stalin control law and order when he cannot reign in even his ministers?’’ EPS asked.
The DMK camp was also buzzing with action. Besides K S Masthan and Thangam Thennarasu, school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and electricity minister V Senthil Balaji were also campaigning for Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan.
At Annai Sathya Nagar, Poyyamozhi alleged that for 10 years, the tenders for free laptops and cycles for school students were going to a cartel. “We have broken the monopoly and given tenders to eligible people,” he said.
At V Chathram, Senthil Balaji said the DMK has fulfilled 85% of its poll promises.