Subscribe
The Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) have decided to contest the upcoming bye-polls in Tamil Nadu independently, despite continuing to extend outside support to the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government. Bye-polls are being held in two Tamil Nadu Assembly constituencies — the SC-reserved Dharapuram and Madurantakam seats. The Election Commission has not announced bypolls for five other vacant Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu, as election-related cases concerning those constituencies are pending before the courts.
The decision was announced on Sunday, September 13, with the CPI set to contest the Dharapuram Assembly constituency and the CPI(M) to contest Madurantakam. The candidates are expected to be announced on September 15.
CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said the Left parties would not align with any of the political formations contesting the bye-polls. Veerapandian said the CPI had already decided not to be part of any alliance after the 2026 Assembly elections.
“After the 2026 Assembly elections, we have not been part of any alliance. After discussing with our party workers and with the Left parties, we have decided to contest alone. While CPI will contest from Dharapuram constituency, CPM will contest from Madurantakam constituency,” he said.
The decision means the bye-polls will be a five-cornered contest, with the TVK-led alliance, DMK-led alliance and AIADMK-BJP combine already having announced candidates, while Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) is contesting independently.
The Left parties have also ruled out backing the TVK-led alliance in the bye-polls. CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam said the parties would contest against all three major fronts.
Shanmugam said the decision to contest separately would neither affect the TVK government nor benefit the DMK. He reiterated that the CPI(M) would continue to extend outside support to the TVK government.
CPI(M) and CPI had extended support to the TVK government after the 2026 Assembly election, but had made it clear that they would not join the Cabinet. The parties had said their support was intended to respect the electoral mandate and prevent the possibility of President’s Rule in the state.
CPI general secretary D Raja had said in May that the Left parties stood for secularism and had decided to support TVK. In a separate statement, Raja had said the parties would not participate in the Cabinet and that their political relationship with the DMK on ideological issues would continue.
Veerapandian reiterated that position on Sunday, saying the Left parties’ support for the TVK government was intended to keep “fascist forces” at bay. He also asked the TVK to remain committed to secularism.
He said the Left parties had extended outside support to TVK to avoid Governor’s rule and, indirectly, BJP rule. “Respecting the verdict given by the people, the Left parties extended outside support to the TVK to form the government, to avoid Governor’s rule and, indirectly, the BJP’s rule,” he said.
The bye-polls have been necessitated after the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MLAs elected from Madurantakam and Dharapuram in the 2026 Assembly election resigned and joined the TVK. The TVK has fielded the same former AIADMK MLAs — K Maragatham Kumaravel in Madurantakam and P Sathyabama in Dharapuram — in the bye-polls.
The Left parties have criticised the MLAs’ decision to resign from the AIADMK and join the TVK shortly after the Assembly election.
Shanmugam described the bye-polls as an election “imposed on the people”. He alleged that horse-trading had taken place and said the two MLAs’ move went against the sentiments of the electorate. “This bye-election is not a natural election; it has been imposed on the people,” Shanmugam said.
The CPI(M) leader also said the Left parties would use the campaign to explain their criticism of the TVK government’s performance during its first 120 days, including its administrative measures and economic policies.
The CPI has said it will contest the bye-polls from the position of not being part of any alliance and has appealed to democratic forces to support the Left candidates. “We believe that students and youngsters are intellectually strong, aware of what is happening around the world and politically conscious. We believe that the Left will have a place among them,” Veerapandian said.
The bye-polls to the SC-reserved Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies are scheduled for October 6.
Meanwhile, the TVK’s post-poll alliance with the Congress, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) has been named the Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance, with TVK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Vijay serving as its chairperson. The CPI and CPI(M) are not part of the alliance.
