Bypoll gives brief pep up to local economy in Tamil Nadu's Erode

Occupancy rate in hotels here is 100 per cent while restaurants and bars are also full. VIP visitors like Ministers and former ministers are at the doorsteps of people as the intense campaigning by parties has peaked for the February 27 Erode (East) bypoll. While the campaign is set to end at 5 PM on Saturday, the presence of a large number of office-bearers and cadres of parties from various places of Tamil Nadu for about 20 days provided a boost to the local economy.

A popular restaurant opposite the Erode junction railway station had to often tell customers that food items are sold out and nothing is available on offer. Enquiries revealed that occupancy in budget hotels is full and the trend is more or less the same in hotels under other categories.

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"This will be over today and we will be back to our regular business," S Palanikumar, a restaurant owner said. Business increased from early February and peaked this week, reflecting an almost 100 per cent jump. A number of bars witnessed brisk business even after the closure of state-run alcoholic beverages retail chain Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) benefitting hawkers and small eateries nearby.

Meat shop owners are also happy as party workers not only buy and consume but also give it to voters as a 'gift'. Poll authorities have, however, said none of the allegations of providing gifts to voters have been proven.

Returning Officer, (Erode East Assembly constituency) K Sivakumar said with the end of electioneering at 5 PM today, people who have come from outside Erode should leave the constituency and he warned that violators would be prosecuted. For the electorate, VIP visitors became a routine and almost all the Ministers and several former ministers belonging to the AIADMK have been campaigning seeking votes.

Light moments were witnessed on several occasions like when AIADMK leader Sellur K Raju and Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy were at a house at the same time to seek votes. The ruling DMK-backed Congress nominee E V K S Elangovan and AIADMK's K S Thennarasu are the main contestants among 77 aspirants who are in the poll fray. Filmmaker-turned-politician Naam Tamilar Katchi top leader Seeman has campaigned with vigour for his party's nominee Meneka Navaneethan. B Kandavel, spokesperson for the Tamil Nadu Federation of Powerlooms Association, told PTI: "We are concerned about a real boost to the Erode economy throughout the year."

Erode region is a hub of powerlooms and Erode East alone has 18,000 looms and all the units are MSMEs. Growth of such small units alone would guarantee real growth by bringing in more and more job opportunities, he said. Cost-free power up to 1,000 units from the present 750 units and reducing the electricity tariff as promised by the government should be implemented as immediate support measures.

The government should work towards bringing investments to set up special clusters to enable MSMEs venture into medical and technical textile product making. "We should receive training and be in a position to gradually make these technical/medical products. Dyeing, processing and printing are also areas that need to be looked into by ensuring zero disturbance or damage to the environment," Kandavel said. Medical and technical textiles are fast-growing segments and it denotes materials or products that have specific uses.

Cotton-based surgical gowns and polypropylene protective clothing fall under medical textile products. Both Chief Minister M K Stalin and AIADMK interim chief K Palaniswami would be here on Saturday for campaigning.

For Stalin, it would be a day-long schedule canvassing votes for Elangovan. Palaniswami campaigned for Thennarasu on Friday. Erode East has 2,27,547 voters and women (1,16,497) outnumber men (1,11,025) and 25 persons fall under the third gender category. Authorities have set up a total of 238 polling stations. While February 27 is the day of polling, votes would be counted on March 2.