CHENNAI: The ruling DMK will contest the February 5 Erode East by poll on behalf of the INDIA bloc, Tamil Nadu Congress committee president K Selvaperunthagai announced here late on Friday night.

In a statement issued at quarter for 11 PM on Friday, Selvaperunthagai announced that it was unanimously decided by them that a candidate of the DMK would contest Erode East by poll on behalf of the India bloc based on the consultations that took place between the All India Congress committee leadership and the Tamil Nadu unit of the party, and the first ever request from chief minister and leader of the India bloc in Tamil Nadu M K Stalin, announced Selvaperunthagai in the statement.

The decision was made in consideration of the fact that only 10 more months were left for the assembly elections in 2026.

“Let us all work together to make the DMK candidate win by a massive margin on behalf of the India alliance, to safeguard the Constitution of India and let democracy flourish in the country,” Selvaperunthagai said.

Bypoll to the Erode East assembly constituency was necessitated for the second time now in the incumbent Assembly, owing to the recent demise of its MLA and former Tamil Nadu Congress committee president EVKS Elangovan.