Yercaud Bypoll Election

The December 4 by-election to the Yercaud (reserved) assembly constituency will be a test of strength for the ruling AIADMK and other parties in the state ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The Election Commission announced the by-poll schedule on Friday, along with elections to five states. Counting would be held on December 8.

The by-poll has been necessitated by the demise of AIADMK MLA C Perumal in July due to an ailment. This is the fourth by-election in the state after the AIADMK government took over, after Trichy, Sankarankoil and Pudukottai. Coming just months before the general elections, observers feel that the by-poll could give a sense of the prevailing mood among voters in the state.

DMK sources say the party would back a common candidate fielded by the opposition or field its own candidate. In such an eventuality, a three-cornered contest is on the cards with candidates of the ruling AIADMK, the DMK and the DMDK joining the fray.

"Karunanidhi is probing such a possibility. It may be a precursor to the formation of a strong alliance for the Lok Sabha election. If the opposition parties are not agreeable to the idea then the DMK will field a candidate," a DMK MP told. However, a senior leader in the DMDK said his party would definitely field a candidate in Yercaud. The PMK is likely to boycott the by-election.

The ruling AIADMK is looking for a fourth consecutive victory in by-elections. A victory could also come as a morale boost for cadres in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. "After winning all three by-polls with a thumping majority, we are aiming for a higher victory margin," said an AIADMK minister from the west zone.

Power shortage could be a key issue for the Yercaud by-election. Agriculture is the main source of income for people here. The opposition claims that the agriculture and spinning mill businesses were affected due to sever power cuts and that the voters have been unhappy with the ruling party. The government's various welfare schemes and chief minister's good governance would be the AIADMK's trump card.

The gazette notification for the by-election will be issued on November 9 and the last date for filing nominations will be November 16. The scrutiny of nominations will be held on November 18 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is November 20.