Erode East Assembly Bypolls: I.N.D.I.A Bloc Fields DMK Candidate Chandra Kumar For Feb 5 Election

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) chief K. Selvaperunthagai emphasised that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc partners would work together to secure a decisive victory for the DMK candidate.

The DMK on Saturday named former MLA V C Chandra Kumar as the candidate for Erode (East) Assembly by-election.

Source : Special arrangement

In an unexpected move within the Opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc, DMK fielded a candidate for the Erode (East) Assembly by-election scheduled for February 5, 2025 as against the Congress which previous held the seat. The Erode (East) Assembly by-election was necessitated after Congress leader EVKS Elangovan, who held the seat, passed away after a prolonged illness last month. Following this, Congress has reportedly requested DMK to contest the by-poll.

The DMK on Saturday named former MLA V C Chandra Kumar as the candidate for Erode (East) Assembly by-election.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) chief K. Selvaperunthagai, in a statement, confirmed the development, as per IANS saying, "As the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections are just 10 months away, Chief Minister and I.N.D.I.A. bloc leader in Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, has taken this decision following a request from the Congress party. After thorough discussions with the Congress leadership, it has been decided that the DMK candidate will contest the Erode (East) by-election."

Selvaperunthagai emphasised that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc partners would work together to secure a decisive victory for the DMK candidate. "We will all work together to ensure the victory of the DMK candidate with a huge margin of votes, to protect the Indian Constitution and to strengthen democracy in the country. We will make sure that the DMK candidate wins with a large number of votes, and we will work together to achieve this goal," Selvaperunthagai added, as per the report.

The Erode (East) seat fell vacant after the death of Congress MLA EVKS Elangovan on December 14, 2024. Elangovan, a grandnephew of social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy, had won the seat in a by-election in 2023 after the sudden demise of his son, Thirumagan Everaa, who passed away at the age of 46 due to a heart attack.

Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin recently visited the Erode district on December 19 and 20, 2024 as part of efforts to consolidate the party’s influence ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. This by-election marks the second for the Erode (East) constituency in two years.