AIADMK to boycott Erode East by-election, says DMK 'won't allow' fair voting

The by-poll, which will be held on February 8, was necessitated due to December 2024 demise of Congress MLA EVKS Elangovan.

Published on: Jan 11, 2025, 19:10:57 IST

By HT News Desk, New Delhi

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The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Saturday announced it will not participate in next month's Erode East assembly by-election as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Tamil Nadu government “will not let people vote freely.”

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (File Photo/PTI)

“The ministers and DMK members of the administratively incompetent DMK's (chief minister MK) Stalin model government will misuse their power. They will not let people vote freely. We believe that the elections will not be held freely and fairly,” the AIADMK said in a statement, according to ANI.

The Erode East by-election, which will be held on February 5 followed by the counting of votes on February 8, was necessitated due to demise of EVKS Elangovan, the MLA from this seat and a member of the Congress, a DMK ally. He passed away in December last year.

Also Read | Erode East Bypoll: Panneerselvam blames Palaniswami for AIADMK's loss

In March 2023, EVKS Elangovan was elected as the MLA of Erode East in a by-poll held to fill the vacancy resulting from the death of his son Thirumagan Evera, who was also a Congress member and passed away in January 2023.

Also Read | Erode East bypoll: ₹1,000 monthly aid for women to be implemented, says CM Stalin

A former Union minister and an ex-Lok Sabha MP, EVKS Elangovan defeated AIADMK nominee KS Thennarasu by a mammoth margin of 66,406 votes.

DMK picks VC Chandra Kumar

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK boss MK Stalin on Sunday announced former legislator VC Chandra Kumar as its candidate for the by-election.

Also Read: Political parties kick start campaigning for Erode East by-election

Chandra Kumar, who holds the position of joint secretary in DMK's “propaganda” wing, is a previous incumbent from the Erode (East) assembly constituency, winning in the 2011 Tamil Nadu assembly election.

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