By Mukesh 
There are eight constituencies in Erode district: Erode (East), Erode (West), Modakkurichi, Perundurai, Bhavani, Anthiyur, Gobichettipalayam, and Bhavanisagar (R), in which 118 candidates are in fray.
Prominent candidates were Minister S. Muthusamy (Erode West), Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s K.A. Sengottaiyan (Gobichettipalayam), AIADMK’s R. Manoharan (Erode East), Tamil Maanila Congress’s M. Yuvaraja (Erode West), BJP’s S. Kirthika (Modakkurichi), DMK’s Thoppu N.D. Venkatachalam (Perundurai), former AIADMK Minister K.C. Karuppannan (Bhavani), and Communist Party of India’s P.L. Sundaram (Bhavanisagar).
As many as 11,420 polling personnel, 67 micro-observers, and 1,052 police personnel have been deployed at 2,379 booths to ensure the smooth conduct of polling. In addition, 2,900 police personnel and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel have been deployed for security, including additional forces at 73 vulnerable booths across the district.
– S.P. Saravanan