Erode (East) bypoll 2025: Campaign ends, polling on February 5

Campaigning ends for Erode (East) Assembly by-election, with DMK and NTK candidates focusing on meeting voters for support.

The campaigning for the byelection to the Erode (East) Assembly constituency ended at 6 p.m. on Monday, setting the stage for polling on February 5.

The byelection, necessitated by the death of Congress legislator E.V.K.S. Elangovan, has seen major political parties AIADMK and the BJP boycotting it, while the DMK is facing off against Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK). The over two-week-long campaign saw DMK candidate V.C. Chandhirakumar and NTK candidate M.K. Seethalakshmi focusing on meeting voters at their doorstep and seeking their support.

NTK’s chief coordinator, Seeman, centered his campaign on criticising Dravidar Kazhagam founder ‘Periyar’ E.V. Ramasamy and the DMK government, while the DMK’s campaign, led by Minister for Housing and Urban Development S. Muthusamy, highlighted the government’s achievements. Except for a clash between NTK and Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) cadres on Sunday, the campaign remained largely incident-free. However, over eight cases were registered against NTK’s Seeman, its candidate, and party cadres for campaigning beyond the permitted time, for staging a road blockade and assaulting TPDK cadre.

As the campaign concluded, outsiders started to leave the constituency, and election officials announced that new regulations would be in force from 6 p.m. on Monday until the end of polling. A total of 46 candidates are in the fray, and polling will be conducted from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on February 5. The dispatch of polling materials to polling stations will commence on Tuesday afternoon.

A total of 2,27,546 voters comprising 1,10,128 men, 1,17,381 women and 37 third genders are eligible to cast their vote at 237 polling stations in the constituency.