CHENNAI: The AIADMK has decided to boycott the by-election to the Erode (East) Assembly constituency scheduled for February 5, alleging that the bypoll will not be held in a “free and fair” manner. AIADMK’s ally DMDK followed suit, saying that it too would skip the bypoll.
This is the second time in the last six months that the principal opposition, AIADMK, has decided to boycott a by-election citing the reason of fair poll. The party had stayed away from the Vikravandi bypoll in July 2024.
In a statement issued after chairing a meeting of the party’s district secretaries at the AIADMK headquarters, party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami alleged that the ruling DMK had used money and muscle power to win the previous bypoll held in Erode (East) in 2023 in which the AIADMK had also fielded a candidate.
Contending that the DMK would deploy the same tactics, apart from misusing official machinery to prevent peaceful voting, the party had decided to boycott the by-election, the statement said. Responding to the decision, DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi mocked the AIADMK for opting out of the poll race in Erode (East) due to fear of failure.
BJP undecided about fighting Erode bypoll
The opposition party is afraid that it may not even retain its deposit if it contested in the bypoll, Bharathi said.
The BJP-led NDA coalition, however, is yet to announce its position on the by-election. In the previous Vikravandi bypoll, PMK candidate, which holds substantial influence in the region, was fielded on behalf of the NDA alliance. In the 2023 Erode (East) bypoll, the BJP supported the AIADMK candidate as both the parties were in alliance at the time. This time, if the NDA decides to contest, the BJP may field its own candidate. However, it is also noteworthy that the TMC, which is part of the NDA, put up a strong challenge in the 2021 assembly elections in the Erode East seat, largely due to AIADMK’s backing.
The NTK, which normally fields candidates in all elections, is expected to announce its candidate soon. With the principal opposition party choosing to abstain and the BJP still undecided, many political observers opine that the DMK’s victory in this bypoll seems a foregone conclusion.
Political analyst Tharasu Shyam said the AIADMK’s decision to boycott the election, however, may not demoralise its cadre. Drawing a parallel with the party’s previous boycott of the Vikravandi bypoll, he pointed out that AIADMK workers remained active in opposing the DMK through various agitations even after the poll boycott. He also noted that the decision could be a tactical move as both M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa had previously boycotted bypolls and later bounced back in general elections.
However, a senior AIADMK leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, expressed reservations about the party’s repeated decision to boycott elections. He argued that a bypoll, particularly before a general election, is as a crucial test for any party. “Regardless of the outcome, the party should have contested in this bypoll,” he said. The decision to skip the bypoll may have been influenced by the lack of a strong alliance but confirmed that the majority of party functionaries were in favour of the boycott. Meanwhile, Shyam highlighted the dilemma faced by the BJP, which has claimed a significant increase in its vote-share in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, especially in the western region of the state.