AIADMK's votes have got transferred to DMK: Law Minister S Regupathy

CHENNAI: DMK leader and Law Minister S Regupathy on Monday said the prinicipal opposition party, the AIADMK's votes have got transferred to his party in the bypoll held to the Erode East Assembly constituency, in which his party emerged the winner.

Speaking to reporters, Regupathy, answering a question on continuous electoral losses for the AIADMK, said it was a loss for that party and the leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami.

"Edappadi Palaniswami's leadership has failed and he has lost in 11 elections," the minister said apparently referring to elections held in Tamil Nadu since 2017, which includes bypolls to various constituencies, civic polls, the Lok Sabha (2019, 2024) and the 2021 State Assembly election. Palaniswami was the chief minister from 2017 to 2021.

Against the background of such continuous electoral debacles, Regupathy claimed that Palaniswami was struggling to bring the party under his control as leaders in the main opposition party were frustrated.

Further, Regupathy, referring to votes secured by the AIADMK in Erode in the last year Lok Sabha polls (29.79 per cent, while DMK's share was 51.43), he said that all such votes of main opposition have got transferred only to the DMK.

It proves that the voters of the main opposition party are prepared to vote for the ruling party's candidates. The AIADMK cadres have also realised that it is the Dravidian model regime led by Chief Minister Stalin that would sustain the Dravidian movement. "It is a victory for the Dravidian model of governance led by our leader Chief Minister M K Stalin," the minister said.

DMK's VC Chandhirakumar (1,15,709 votes--74.7 per cent) was the winning candidate in the bypoll to the Erode East segment, for which the result was declared on February 8, 2025. Naam Tamizhar Katchi's M K Seethalakshmi was the runner-up and she bagged 24,151 votes (15.59 per cent). AIADMK and other mainstream parties, including the BJP, had boycotted the bypoll. The polling was held on February 5.

To a question on the caste census, the minister said that since the census is a subject matter under the Union government's domain as per the Constitutional scheme, a census exercise, even if undertaken by the state government would not be legally valid.

Pointing to some instances of state-based caste census exercises getting stayed by the Supreme Court, Regupathy said Tamil Nadu was, hence, not inclined to take the same route.

To a question on Naam Tamizhar Katchi top leader Seeman, the minister said arrest is not a mandatory procedure in all the cases and that the court would decide the case against Seeman.

Several persons, including those belonging to Periyarist outfits, lodged police complaints in a number of places in Tamil Nadu against Seeman for his alleged derogatory remarks against reformist leader 'Periyar' EV Ramasamy.

Tamil nationalist Seeman, while rejecting Periyar for his alleged comments on Tamil, among other issues, had attributed some views to the rationalist leader while addressing a press conference on January 8, 2025 in Cuddalore district.

It led to a huge controversy and Periyarist outfits had staged protests against the NTK chief. Barring the BJP, leaders belonging to parties, including the ruling DMK and main opposition AIADMK, had strongly criticised Seeman for his tirade against Periyar.