Giving up seat leaves Cong men vexed

THE Congress giving up Erode East Assembly seat to the DMK has not gone down well with the local functionaries and cadre of the grand old party, as they consider the seat as a sentimental one. The development has also shattered their hopes of retaining the constituency in the 2026 Assembly election.

- P SRINIVASAN

Expressing his discontent, KN Basha, vice president of Congress Minority Wing in Erode, said, "Erode East was allotted to the Congress in 2021. So we have the right to contest in the by-election. As per the alliance dharma, the Congress should have been given the chance. It is disappointing that we have now given up the constituency that gave us consecutive victories. It will be difficult to get the constituency back from the DMK in 2026."