The BJP is the latest opposition party to announce a boycott, joining the AIADMK and DMDK. The election follows the death of Congress MLA and former Union Minister EVKS Elangovan on 14 December 2024.
Published Jan 12, 2025 | 10:45 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 12, 2025 | 10:45 PM
Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai. (Supplied)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tamil Nadu has announced it will join opposition parties All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) in boycotting the upcoming Erode East Assembly by-election, scheduled for 5 February.
The election seeks to fill the vacant seat left by the death of Indian National Congress (INC) leader and former Union Minister EVKS Elangovan on 14 December 2024. Elangovan himself had won the seat in a 2023 by-election following the untimely demise of his son, Thirumagan Everaa, who previously represented the constituency.
In a statement on X, BJP Tamil Nadu State President K Annamalai accused the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) of blatant electoral malpractice, citing it as the reason for the boycott.
“The upcoming election is merely a by-election for a previous by-election. During the by-election held in 2023, we witnessed how the public was mistreated and oppressed. In their arrogance of being the ruling party, the DMK blatantly violated all electoral norms, an experience we all endured,” the statement read.
பத்திரிகைச் செய்தி
ஈரோடு கிழக்கு இடைத் தேர்தல் தொடர்பாக, தேசிய ஜனநாயக கூட்டணியின் அறிவிப்பு
தமிழக மக்கள் அனைவருக்கும் வணக்கம்.
கடந்த நான்கு ஆண்டுகளாக, தமிழகத்தில் நடைபெற்று வரும் மக்கள் விரோத ஆட்சியைப் பார்த்து வருகிறோம். எல்லா துறைகளிலும் ஊழல், சட்டம் ஒழுங்கு சீர்குலைவு,… pic.twitter.com/jlBngQ7Kx2
— BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) January 12, 2025
Also read: AIADMK-TVK alliance could demolish DMK in Tamil Nadu assembly polls, but there’s a catch
The BJP is the latest opposition party to announce a boycott, joining the AIADMK and DMDK, both of which have cited similar concerns over electoral malpractice.
Meanwhile, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is fielding VC Chandrakumar in a bid to retain the seat and consolidate its regional dominance.
சட்டம்-ஒழுங்கு முற்றிலுமாக சீர்கெட்டுள்ள, நிர்வாகத் திறனற்ற விடியா திமுக-வின் ஸ்டாலின் மாடல் ஆட்சியில், 5.2.2025 அன்று நடைபெற உள்ள ஈரோடு (கிழக்கு) சட்டமன்றத் தொகுதிக்கான இடைத் தேர்தலை கழகம் புறக்கணிக்கிறது !
– மாண்புமிகு கழகப் பொதுச்செயலாளர் ‘புரட்சித் தமிழர்’ திரு.… pic.twitter.com/cOJeguuqkK
— AIADMK – Say No To Drugs & DMK (@AIADMKOfficial) January 11, 2025
After discussions within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Annamalai stated that the BJP and its allies had agreed to boycott the by-election. Instead, the BJP plans to focus on the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections to challenge the DMK.
“The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly Election will be a decisive one to completely remove the DMK from power. The National Democratic Alliance is steadfastly working towards this goal. Meanwhile, the NDA strongly opposes the DMK’s repeated attempts to confine and control the public, treating them like pawns during elections,” Annamalai added.
Also read: ‘Such arrogance is not good’: Tamil Nadu governor hits back at CM Stalin’s ‘childish’ remark
Annamalai further accused the DMK of fostering corruption and lawlessness while neglecting critical issues such as unemployment and women’s safety. Referring to the DMK’s self-proclaimed “Dravidian Model” of governance, the former IPS officer termed it a “disaster model.”
“For the past four years, we have been witnessing an anti-people administration in Tamil Nadu. Corruption in every sector, deterioration of law and order, unemployment, and a lack of safety for women, children, the elderly, government officials, and police officers have pushed Tamil Nadu into a dark era.
The DMK government has been acting in direct violation of the constitutional principles laid out by Dr BR Ambedkar. People enduring the daily hardships caused by this administration have started openly declaring that this is not the ‘Dravidian Model’ but rather a ‘Disaster Model,’” the statement read.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
