The upcoming bypoll in the Erode East Constituency, scheduled for the 27 February 2023, has become a critical election for both the ruling and opposition parties in Tamil Nadu. The bypoll has come as a result of the unfortunate passing of the sitting Congress MLA. With just a year into their term, the ruling DMK-led alliance is facing a significant challenge in the bypoll, which is widely being seen as a litmus test for the ruling party ahead of the 2024 General Elections.
The DMK-led alliance came to power after the 2021 Assembly Elections, riding on a wave of freebie promises that they made to the people of Tamil Nadu. However, a year into their term, the party has been facing significant opposition from the people, who are demanding that the party fulfill its promises. The party’s image took a further hit when the state finance minister made a controversial statement that the party had never mentioned a specific date and time for fulfilling its promises. This article takes a closer look at the impact of the DMK’s decisions on the agriculture and power loom industry in the Kongu region and raises questions about the party’s ability to deliver on their promises.
The ‘Kongu’ Region, which comprises the western districts of Tamil Nadu, is a crucial area for the ruling party. The region, which contributes significantly to the state’s economy, has a long history of political and economic strife. In the 1990s, the region transformed itself into a stronghold of industry, but the growth was stunted by the horrific serial bomb blasts that took place in Coimbatore in the late 1990s. The negligence of the then DMK government was widely criticized, and the region has been wary of the DMK ever since.
Another major crisis that the Kongu region faced was during the DMK’s rule between 2006 and 2011. The frequent power outages that plagued the state during this period put significant pressure on businesses and industries, particularly small and micro enterprises. The memory of this period remains fresh in the minds of the people of Tamil Nadu, and the Kongu Region, in particular, remembers this before casting their vote.
The DMK made several key promises to the Kongu Region, including the promise to provide 30% more free electricity to the power loom industry. However, instead of fulfilling this promise, the DMK-led government has increased the cost of electricity by 30%. This decision has affected over 6 lakh families in the region and has been a significant source of opposition for the ruling party.
In addition to this, the DMK made a promise to the people of Erode to establish an agricultural manufacturing plant in the city. Erode is primarily an agricultural region, with most of its population depending on the sector, unlike other parts of Tamil Nadu. This plant was supposed to provide the farming community with direct access to agricultural machinery and allow for repairs and upgrades.
Erode is also famous for its turmeric production, which has been selected under the ‘One District One Product’ approach of the Central government sponsored scheme. However, the Tamil Nadu government has not taken this into account and has not promoted turmeric or other farm products. The DMK also promised to form a committee to fix the minimum support price for turmeric to stabilize market prices, but no action has been taken till date.
In light of these broken promises, the people of East Erode constituency are expected to show their disappointment in the upcoming by-polls.
In conclusion, the upcoming bypoll in the Erode East Constituency is a crucial test for the ruling DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu. The results of the bypoll will be closely watched by political observers, who believe that the outcome will provide an early indication of the mood of the state ahead of the 2024 General Elections. The people of the Kongu Region, in particular, will be watching the election closely, as their recent experiences with the ruling party have left them disappointed and frustrated. The results of the bypoll could serve as a warning to the ruling party, and prompt them to take concrete steps to fulfill their promises and address the grievances of the people.
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