Ahead of the bypoll for Tamil Nadu's Erode Assembly seat, the opposition parties, AIADMK and its ally DMDK on Saturday announced to boycott of the elections. The parties have accused the Stalin-led DMK of using unfair practices and intimidation. AIADMK's general secretary E Palaniswami announced the boycott through the social media platform X.
In his post from the AIADMK handle, he said, "In the upcoming Erode (East) Assembly Constituency by-election, because the ministers and DMK-people will abuse the power of the incompetent Vidya DMK's Stalin model government; Because they will unleash various anarchies and violence with the power of money and force and will not let the people vote freely; All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam boycotts the Erode (East) Assembly Constituency by-election on 5.2.2025 as the election will not be free and fair."
On the other hand, DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth said that they have no faith in the manner in which the bypoll will be held. DMDK said that the bypoll will surely be "against democracy". Notably, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has officially named VC Chandhirakumar, the party’s Propaganda Joint Secretary, as its candidate from Erode.
The bypoll became necessary following the death of EVKS Elangovan, a senior Congress leader and former Union Minister, in December 2024. Elangovan had previously won the seat in February 2023 by a record margin of over 66,000 votes, marking his return to the State Assembly after a 39-year gap. His untimely passing has now led to another bypoll for the Erode East constituency.