
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has decided to boycott the Erode East bypoll scheduled for February 5 and would focus on eliminating the MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the BJP state unit said on Sunday. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai said the upcoming election was a "by-election for a by-election", following the bypoll held here in 2023.
BJP's announcement virtually makes the election a no-contest, as the main opposition, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) have already announced boycotting the by-election, necessitated by the death of Congress sitting MLA and leader EVKS Elangovan.
The DMK has nominated VC Chandhirakumar on behalf of its-led bloc, which also has the Congress in the alliance.
2026 Assembly polls meant to remove DMK: Annamalai
Annamalai recalled there were accusations of the ruling DMK then "confining" people at designated places. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) faced the DMK violating poll rules due to the "arrogance" of being the ruling party.
"The coming 2026 Assembly polls is one meant to remove the DMK (from the ruling saddle), and the NDA is moving towards that target and does not want to allow the DMK to confine people like cattle once again," he said in a statement. "All the leaders of NDA who desire people's welfare, after detailed consultation, have decided to boycott the Erode East bypoll. Our target is to remove the DMK in the 2026 elections and give the NDA's good governance to people," Annamalai said.
The state has been pushed to a "dark period" with no safety for various sections of society, and the DMK government was an "anti-people" one where law and order have also failed, the former IPS officer alleged.
NDA constituents in the state include Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), and Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC), among others. Incidentally, the AIADMK, which was a part of the NDA in 2023, had fielded its nominee in that year's bypoll to the Erode East seat but lost to Congress' Elangovan, who faced the election following the death of his son and local MLA E Thirumagan Evera.
(With PTI inputs)