Erode (East) bypoll 2025 | Political parties gear up for Erode (East) Assembly constituency bypoll

Political parties prepare for Erode (East) Assembly bypoll on February 5, with Congress proposing E. Sanjay Sampath as candidate.

Political parties are gearing up for the bypoll in the Erode (East) Assembly constituency, scheduled for February 5, which will mark the third election in the constituency in four years.

Formed during the delimitation exercise in 2008, the constituency encompasses two-thirds of Erode Corporation and has 2,26,433 voters. It saw elections in 2011, 2016 and 2021, followed by a bypoll in 2023, where E.V.K.S. Elangovan of the Congress emerged victorious. The current bypoll was necessitated by his demise on December 14, 2024.

The Erode Urban District Congress Committee has proposed E. Sanjay Sampath, Elangovan’s younger son, and has forwarded the resolution to party leaders in Chennai. “We want Mr. Sampath, the great-grandson of Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, to be nominated to honour the political legacy of Periyar’s family,” said a senior Congress functionary.

He added that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin held the family in high regard and was expected to back Mr. Sampath as the candidate for the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance. “There is no second thought about another Congress candidate,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, some DMK functionaries have shown interest in contesting, citing their efforts in ensuring Congress candidates’ victories in the previous two elections. “Mr. Elangovan won by a margin of over 67,000 votes in 2023. We aim to increase the margin, but will adhere to the party leader’s decision,” said a DMK functionary.

The constituency’s community demographics include 35% Mudaliyars, 27% Muslims, 5% Christians and 4% Kongu Vellalar Gounders.

The AIADMK appeared hesitant to enter the fray ahead of the 2026 Assembly election, while actor Vijay’s political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, would not contest. The BJP was likely to contest with the support of National Democratic Alliance parties while Naam Tamilar Katchi had also announced its intention to contest, setting a stage for a three-cornered contest.