O Panneerselvam (OPS), who leads a faction of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), has said that he wishes to put up a candidate for the Erode East bypoll. He added that because AIADMK ally, the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) has decided to relinquish the seat, every AIADMK faction had the right to contest.
Further, he said that his faction would be ready to support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) if it decides to contest alone.
TTV Dhinakaran of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) said that his party is keen to contest the election but the final decision would be taken on 27 January.
Caste Politics
The largest caste group in the constituency is the Kongu Vellalar Gounder and the caste group with the second-largest population is Mudaliar.
According to political commentators, OPS is likely to field a candidate from the Mudaliar caste in order to woo non-Gounder votes because he does not stand much of a chance in front of the Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) faction which is expected to field former minister KV Ramalingam from the Kongu Vellalar Gounder caste.
Also Palaniswami himself belongs to the Kongu Vellalar Gounder caste.
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