A combo picture of DMK candidate K.E. Prakash (left) and AIADMK candidate Aatral Ashok Kumar (right). Photo: Special Arrangement

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Wednesday fielded K.E. Prakash as its candidate in the Erode parliamentary constituency, while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has fielded Aatral Ashok Kumar as its candidate.

The 48-year-old DMK candidate, a native of Kaniyampalayam village in Modakkurichi taluk, joined the party at the age of 14 and had served as the district organiser for youth wing. Currently, he is the deputy secretary of the party’s youth wing. An undergraduate in economics, Mr. Prakash is running a tiles and chemicals showroom while his family is basically involved in farming. His father, K.S. Eswaramoorthy, who joined DMK in 1967, had served various positions in the party and is currently the branch secretary. Mr. Prakash’s wife, P. Gokila, a B.C.A. graduate, joined the party in 2005. The couple has a son and a daughter.

Mr. Aatral Ashok Kumar, 54, native of Pudupalayam village in Kodumudi taluk, is known for his extensive social service, including renovation of government schools, temples and community centres. His service to the poor through ₹10 a meal and ₹10 for doctor’s consultation had benefitted many lakhs of people. His mother K.S. Soundaram is ex-MP while his mother-in-law C. Saraswati is as itting MLA. He completed his engineering in Coimbatore, M.S. and M.B.A. in the United States of America and worked in multi-national companies from 1992 to 2005. He founded Aatral Foundation in 2021 and continues to serve people. Earlier, he was with the BJP and joined the AIADMK in 2023.