Edappadi K Palaniswami on Feb. 01 announced former MLA KS Thennarasu as the candidate of AIADMK for Erode East by-polls. This development came after BJP's Tamil Nadu unit announced on Jan. 31 not to contest in the first by-poll of the 16th Assembly, which was necessitated following the demise of Congress MLA E Thirumahan Everaa. Earlier on Sunday, Seeman's NTK announced Menaka Navaneethan to be its candidate for the Erode East by-poll.