Erode (East)
All 20 candidates
| # | Candidate | Votes · share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. Vijay BalajiWonTVK Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam | 69,74742.93% |
| 2 | Gopinath PalaniyappanINC Indian National Congress | 45,78128.18% |
| 3 | R. ManoharanAIADMK All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 38,18323.50% |
| Below this line, candidates lost their deposit: 26,929 votes or fewer, one-sixth of the 1,61,574 votes for all candidates | ||
| 4 | S. Thandavamoorthy (lost deposit)NTK Naam Tamilar Katchi | 4,9873.07% |
| NOTANone of the above: not a candidate | 8790.54% | |
| 5 | J. Muthu Bava (lost deposit)IND Independent | 8580.53% |
| 6 | H. Mohamed Gaipeer (lost deposit)IND Independent | 3210.20% |
| 7 | B. Chitra (lost deposit)BSP Bahujan Samaj Party | 2560.16% |
| 8 | M. Kamal Kumar (lost deposit)VTK Vishwa Tamil Kazhagam | 2270.14% |
| 9 | R. Vairam (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1960.12% |
| 10 | K. Manikannan (lost deposit)SMNK Samaniya Makkal Nala Katchi | 1730.11% |
| 11 | S. Nathiya (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1360.08% |
| 12 | C. Thiyagarajan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 1320.08% |
| 13 | M. Dharani Kumar (lost deposit)IND Independent | 960.06% |
| 14 | A. Manikandan (lost deposit)TVAK Tamizhaga Vaazhvurimai Katchi | 860.05% |
| 15 | K. Dhavasiappan (lost deposit)TMNK Tamilaga Makkal Nala Katchi | 800.05% |
| 16 | R. Dhandapani (lost deposit)VTVTK Veerath Thiyagi Viswanathadoss Thozhilalarkal Katchi | 760.05% |
| 17 | S. Lakshmanathan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 670.04% |
| 18 | M. V. Karthy (lost deposit)IND Independent | 660.04% |
| 19 | P. Shanmugam (lost deposit)IND Independent | 550.03% |
| 20 | M. Murugesan (lost deposit)IND Independent | 510.03% |
Erode East — TVK's Vijay Balaji takes Turmeric City east over Congress
TVK's M. Vijay Balaji took Erode (East) — the eastern half of Erode city, India's 'Manjal Nagaram' (Turmeric City) and home of the GI-tagged Erode turmeric — over Congress's Gopinath Palaniyappan.
The seat went to three different parties in the three elections from 2011 to 2021: DMDK's V. C. Chandhirakumar won in 2011 by 10,644 votes; AIADMK's K. S. Thennarasu in 2016 by 7,794; INC's E. Thirumagan Evera in 2021 by 8,904.
After Thirumagan's death in January 2023, INC's E. V. K. S. Elangovan won the resulting bypoll by 66,575 votes — the largest margin the seat had then produced. TVK's 2026 win is the largest non-bypoll margin in Erode East's short post-delimitation history.
Where Erode (East) was won
| Led by | Booths of 259 |
|---|---|
| M. Vijay Balaji TVK | 216 |
| Gopinath Palaniyappan INC | 30 |
| Others | 13 |
Counted from Form 20, booth by booth (vote leads are in votes cast at the booth; postal ballots are counted for the whole seat only).
Every village and booth
The constituency
- Reservation
- General seat (not reserved)
- Lok Sabha seat
- Erode
- Electors, 2026
- 1,79,566women 93,724 (52.2%) · men 85,804 (47.8%) · third gender 38
Sources · electoral roll, reservation: ECI · Lok Sabha seat: 2008 delimitation order
Postal ballot breakdown
Postal-ballot leader differs from overall winner. INC GOPINATH PALANIYAPPAN led postal ballots (454), but TVK M.VIJAY BALAJI won the seat overall (69,747).
1,213 postal ballots · from polling staff, election-duty officers, absentee voters · counted before EVM rounds
| # | Candidate | Party | Postal votes | EVM votes | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gopinath Palaniyappan | INC | 454 | 45,327 | 45,781 |
| 2 | M. Vijay Balaji | TVK | 363 | 69,384 | 69,747 |
| 3 | R. Manoharan | AIADMK | 279 | 37,904 | 38,183 |
| 4 | S. Thandavamoorthy | NTK | 63 | 4,924 | 4,987 |
| 5 | Nota | NOTA | 28 | 851 | 879 |
Source: Election Commission of India · Form 20 data via results.eci.gov.in
How this seat compares
| Measure | This seat | Rank | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winning margin, votes | 23,966 | 50th | 11,416 |
| Winner’s share | 42.9% | 53rd | 37.4% |
| Turnout | 90.5% | 54th | 86.9% |
| Votes cast | 1,62,453 | 213th | 2,08,471 |
| Candidates | 20 | =63rd | 15 |
| NOTA votes | 879 | =91st | 784 |
| Since 2021 | TVK took the seat from INC. In 2021 E. Thirumagan Evera won it by 8,904 votes. | ||
Winners and runners-up, 2011–2026
2011, 2016 and 2021 rows: checked against the ECI detailed results. Earlier rows: secondary sources. Two-part pill: alliance leader first, then the candidate's party.
Erode East was created by the 2008 delimitation; first contest was 2011. The seat has produced a different winning party every election — DMDK (2011), AIADMK (2016), INC in the DMK alliance (2021), TVK (2026).
After E. Thirumagan Evera's death in January 2023, INC's E. V. K. S. Elangovan won the resulting March 2023 bypoll by 66,575 votes — the largest margin the seat had then produced. Gopinath Palaniyappan, the 2026 INC runner-up, contested on the DMK alliance ticket.
About Erode East
Erode (East) (AC 98) covers the eastern half of Erode city, the Kongu-belt urban centre known across Tamil Nadu as 'Manjal Nagaram' — Turmeric City — for the GI-tagged Erode turmeric whose deep-yellow rhizomes anchor the city's wholesale yards. The constituency was created by the 2008 delimitation and held its first contest in 2011.
The seat has produced a different winning party each election: DMDK in 2011, AIADMK in 2016, INC (DMK alliance) in 2021, and TVK in 2026 — with a high-profile Congress bypoll win in 2023 after the sitting MLA's death.
Erode East & Turmeric City
Erode East is the eastern wing of India's Turmeric City — Manjal Nagaram, where GI-tagged Erode turmeric still leaves the wholesale yards by the truckload.
Drive 12 km north-east to Bhavani for the Sangameswarar Temple at the meeting of the Cauvery, Bhavani and the mythical Amudha — one of South India's rare three-river sangams — then on to the Bhavani Sagar dam for an evening boat ride. Kodumudi's Magudeswarar shrine and the Kongu jaggery markets at Perundurai both make easy half-day add-ons.
Plan your trip on TN Explorer →Quick answers
Who won Erode (East) in the 2026 Tamil Nadu election?
M. Vijay Balaji of TVK won Erode (East) (AC 98) in the April 2026 Assembly election with 69,747 votes, 42.93% of the votes polled, ahead of Gopinath Palaniyappan of CONG by 23,966 votes.
Who is the MLA of Erode (East)?
M. Vijay Balaji of TVK was elected MLA for Erode (East) in April 2026 and sits in the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly.
What was the turnout in Erode (East) in 2026?
Turnout was 90.5%: 1,62,453 of 1,79,566 electors voted.
Which district is Erode (East) in?
Erode (East) (constituency number 98) is in Erode district, part of the Erode Lok Sabha seat.
Who won Erode (East) before 2026?
In 2021 E. Thirumagan Evera of INC won by 8,904 votes over M. Yuvaraja. In 2016 K. S. Thennarasu of AIADMK won by 7,794 votes over V. C. Chandhirakumar.
Sources: Form 20, booth-wise result (PDF)ECI result, AC 98
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