Chennai: VC Chandhirakumar, who secured a resounding victory in the Erode East by-poll with a margin of over 90,000 votes, was officially sworn in as the constituency’s MLA on Monday.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu administered the oath of office to Chandrakumar at his chamber in the Assembly Secretariat. The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, State Irrigation Minister Duraimurugan, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai, among other key leaders.
Chandrakumar, contesting on a DMK ticket, comfortably won the by-election held on February 5, securing a margin of 90,629 votes. His nearest competitor, M.K. Seethalakshmi of Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK), managed to secure only 23,810 votes, falling short of the required vote share to retain her deposit.
This by-poll was notably low-profile due to the absence of major opposition parties, particularly the AIADMK, which chose to abstain from contesting. The election was necessitated following the demise of the sitting MLA, EVKS Elangovan, on December 14, 2024. Elangovan himself had won the seat in a by-election held in February 2023 after the passing of his son and former MLA Thirumahan Evera in January 2023.
With Chandrakumar now formally assuming office, DMK has further strengthened its presence in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, solidifying its dominance in urban constituencies like Erode East.