Lok Sabha polls | Campaigning concludes in Erode, Salem districts

Campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls, scheduled on April 19, ended at 6 p.m. on Wednesday as candidates of political parties left no stone unturned in meeting electors in the last three-weeks seeking votes.

Key contestants for the Erode Parliamentary constituency, K.E. Prakash of DMK, Ashok Kumar of AIADMK, P. Vijayakumar of Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) and M. Karmegam of Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) began their campaign from the first week of April to cover electors in six Assembly constituencies. The three-week long intense campaign saw Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, BJP State president K. Annamalai, TMC leader G.K. Vasan and NTK leader Seeman, seeking votes for their candidates and that of alliance party candidates. Also, the senior leaders of the respective parties campaigned for the candidates despite the temperature soaring to 108 degree Fahrenheit in Erode.

Candidates went on vehicle and door-to-door campaigns, conducting street corner meetings as they found it difficult to meet 15 lakh electors in a short time period of three weeks. On the final day, prominent candidates concluded their campaigns with a road show across the city. A total of 31 candidates are contesting the election in the constituency.

In Salem, T.M. Selvaganapathy of DMK, P. Vignesh of AIADMK and N. Annadurai of Pattali Makkal Katchi are the prominent candidates in the fray. The constituency witnessed intense campaigning by the candidates with support from party leaders and senior leaders. On the final day, candidates were on a whirlwind campaign, mostly in vehicles, in an effort to reach out to the voters. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami held a road show in the evening that started from Hasthampatti and passed through arterial roads in the city.

While the DMK campaign focused on highlighting the government’s achievements in the last three years, AIADMK’s campaign focused on the failure of the DMK government to keep up its poll promises. The campaign witnessed accusations and counter-accusations while parties also accused the BJP government of failing to fulfil its promises.

After the campaign ended at 6 p.m., outsiders left the constituency while vehicle permits provided to candidates ceased to be valid. Election officials said campaigning in any form, including SMS and social media postings, were not allowed.