<p><strong>Erode East Assembly Bypolls:</strong> The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Saturday announced to boycott the Erode (East) Assembly constituency by-election scheduled on February 5. The announcement of AIADMK came hours after DMK decided to contest the bypolls instead of the its ally Congress. The bypoll was necessitated after Congress leader EVKS Elangovan, who held the seat, died after health complications last month. </p>
<p>On Saturday, the AIADMK said, “The ministers and DMK members of the administratively incompetent DMK’s 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”</p>
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<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”>Tamil Nadu | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) announces to boycott the Erode (East) Assembly constituency by-election scheduled on February 5.<br /><br />The AIADMK said, “The ministers and DMK members of the administratively incompetent DMK’s Stalin model government will…</p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1878051987587256464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<p>The DMDK chief Premalatha Vijayakanth also announced the party’s decision to boycott the bypolls. However, the BJP is yet to declare its stand on the bypolls. </p>
<p>Earlier, it was alleged that Congress would field TN Congress chief Selvaperunthagai. However, the DMK on Saturday announced former MLA VC Chandra Kumar as its candidate for the Erode East Assembly bypoll. Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin made the announcement in a statement issued in Chennai after an agreement with alliance partner Congress, which previously held the seat.</p>
<p>Chandra Kumar, who initially left the DMK to join actor Vijayakanth’s DMDK, contested and won the Erode East constituency in the 2011 Assembly election. However, he lost the seat in 2016 when he contested again on a DMDK ticket against the AIADMK. Subsequently, he rejoined the DMK and currently serves as a joint secretary in its propaganda wing.</p>