After AIADMK, BJP decides to boycott erode east by-election

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA has decided to boycott the upcoming Erode East bypoll, the party said on Sunday, instead shifting its focus to the 2026 state elections.

BJP’s announcement, a day after the state’s main opposition party the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam announced that it will not contest the assembly bypoll.

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“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,” state BJP chief K Annamalai said, adding that the upcoming election was a “by-election for a by-election”.

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“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.

He recalled there were accusations of the ruling DMK then “confining” people at designated places.

The bypoll was necessitated by the death of Congress MLA EVKS Elangovan.

The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has nominated VC Chandrakumar on behalf of its-led bloc, which also has the Congress in the alliance.

NDA constituents in the state include Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).

Incidentally, the AIADMK that was a part of the NDA in 2022 had fielded its nominee in that year’s bypoll to Erode East seat but lost to Congress’ Elangovan, who faced the election following the death of his son and local MLA E Thirumahan Everaa.