CHENNAI: BJP state vice president Narayanan Thirupathy on Tuesday said the party would announce its stance on Erode East by-election in two days, after consulting with the party’s national leadership. Narayanan said this after attending a meeting of the state and district-level office-bearers chaired by the party’s state president K Annamalai.
Asked whether the BJP would field its candidate if both factions of the AIADMK are not allowed to use the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol, Thirupathy said, “Our stand will be made known in two days, after consulting the national leadership of our party since we are particular about defeating the DMK candidate in this by-election.” He also charged that the DMK is planning to use money and power to win this election.
Narayanan added that the meeting also discussed arrangements for the ‘pada yatra’ to be undertaken by Annamalai from April 17. The yatra would last for 471 days and would cover all parts of the state, he further said.
Sources said the BJP is waiting for the outcome of the AIADMK’s fresh applications before the Supreme Court to be heard on Friday. Annamalai had, on multiple occasions, indicated that the BJP would not contest this by-election. But the party now has to take a stand since the AIADMK camps of Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam will be fielding their own candidates.